


The Hands of the Emperor

by Abyssia



Series: Crimson Flower: epilogue [1]
Category: Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Child Death, Gen, Implied Torture, Mostly “platonic”, Multi, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Politics, Polyamory, Trauma, Trust, edelgard haters do not interact, edelgard's siblings - Freeform, really dark shit??
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2020-09-29 13:57:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20437175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abyssia/pseuds/Abyssia
Summary: With the war now over, matters of policy, governance and justice are still left to be taken care of.Hubert and Ferdinand as Edelgard’s left and right hands have much ahead of them yet to be done.But for Ferdinand, he has much left to learn about the true horrors of his father’s legacy. And taking up his mantle means facing that darkness head on.





	1. Lingering Whispers

It is an odd feeling, returning to a place once only known as a child. The angle was off, his perspective completely changed. The last time Ferdinand had been in the prime minister’s office was nearly 15 years ago. As he remembered it, when he was around 7 or 8 had been when his father saw fit to take the young Ferdinand into his office. Ferdinand, still young his eyes full of wonder as he was shown where he would work one day. But, soon after, those visits abruptly stopped. As a child, Ferdinand was disappointed, but thought little of it. He was a child, after all. A child had no business knowing the complexities or horrors of adult life.

Even if it meant that Ferdinand was quite naive for a portion of his life, it at least meant that he was afforded the luxury of an innocent childhood. A luxury that many in this world never had. Ferdinand knew now, having learned of the suffering of common folk, and even occasionally noble children, at the hands of the barbaric crest-based regime. And so accordingly, ad he learned more of the world, the more impassioned he became about Edelgard’s regime.

But, one question niggled in the back of his mind. Why exactly had Edelgard become so intent on this course of action?

As far as Ferdinand knew, Edelgard was the only child of the previous emperor, and she bore a crest of seiros; albeit a minor one. But nonetheless, she was fortunate enough to be perfectly positioned in the system she later fought to destroy. Perhaps that was simply a testament to the depth of her empathy and compassion; qualities that were vital in a leader.

Although Ferdinand was still oblivious to many things; he was not in fact, anywhere close to being stupid. Being one of the two people closest to Edelgard meant that he came to understand her very deeply. But even as he grew as close as he thought possible; there was a feeling of coming up against an impassable wall. Edelgard still kept Ferdinand, and nearly everyone else from truly seeing into her heart.

The first, and largest piece of evidence towards this, was her nightmares. Ferdinand’s bedroom at the monastery had been just two doors down from Edelgard’s. Many times, he heard her screaming in the night. Not uncommon, several other students had such traumatic nightmares as well. But what bothered him was what came after; silence.

Caspar and Hubert’s room was between him and Edelgard, but even from that distance, he could hear the sound of a door creaking open. What Ferdinand expected to hear after her screams was then the tell-tale creak of Hubert’s door, and then his heavy footfalls to her doorstep. But, he always heard nothing.

One night however, when Ferdinand was woken by the screams, he heard footsteps and then the murmur of voices. But the voice that joined Edelgard’s was not Hubert’s but instead, the voice of their professor. What could it be, something so horrifying and disturbing that Edelgard not only felt the need to keep it hidden from people, but even from Hubert? Ferdinand kept that knowledge deep in his heart as he watched Edelgard grow closer with their professor. An odd, empty feeling of uselessness crawling up from the pit of his stomach.

And now, unsurprisingly; Edelgard has chosen Byleth as her partner; emperor Hresvelg and her commoner empress, a perfect pair to bring in the new age of a classless world. Ferdinand hoped that perhaps now; with Edelgard’s secretive plan having now come to the first stage of its completion; away from the stresses of war, Ferdinand could hope to carefully push against that wall once again.

He sat there in his father’s old leather chair, his hands gripping the armrests perhaps a little too hard. It was nothing short of surreal; sitting where his father once sat; while his father was far away in permanent exile. Edelgard was unceasingly busy going about finding ministers to handle every little task needed for governance. Ferdinand too, wanted to be useful as soon as possible.

“I have no pressing duty for you today, Ferdinand,” Edelgard had said, meeting his eyes from across the small-council table. “As my chosen new prime minister, I would ask you to familiarize yourself with the Prime Minister’s office, and the records held within.”

It had seemed a rather odd request, but now that he was in the office, he understood. This office, while seeming normal from the outset, held within it a collection of books and documents rivaling that of a small archive. The walls on either side of the door were lined with books, a table with three chairs set out for entertaining guests and having meetings. Ferdinand scanned the books’ spines intently; looking for what Edelgard must have wanted him to look into. The books, as far as he could see, were standard history tomes and endless ledgers; records of taxes and spending budgets for decades even before his father’s birth.Eventually however, Ferdinand glimpsed one section that seemed out of place.

He stood up and walked over to the left wall and crouched down. There was one small shelf that held family records. He glanced behind him and went to check the left wall to confirm his suspicion. Doing so, he found that in the general history section; there was a whole shelf that contained the genealogy of every major family in the empire; including that of his own family. He also found a general tome on the history of the Hresvelg house. But upon returning to the left wall and crouching again; he found that this small section included the actual genealogy tome of the Hresvelg Dynasty. He pressed his lips together, rather puzzled that one of the books would be out of place like this as he had never known his father to be so careless. Included with this book were also several academic tomes on the nature of crest-inheritance; acquisition and usage. Ferdinand furrowed his brow and pulled out the tome.

Most of the contents he was already very familiar with. As prime minister, it was his duty to know the lineages of the imperial line and the nobility. And as such he simply paged to where he knew the most relevant information would be. In Ferdinand’s memory, he seemed to remember his father speaking about more than one imperial child; but those talks had been far above his understanding as a child. But he had a feeling that there must have been other imperial children; perhaps from a mistress or that died very young. Even with that vague notion, it made him uneasy.

He found his way to where Ionius and his wife were mentioned in detail. Thereafter were several pages about the Arundel lineage and other such information. Their marriage however was in fact listed in 1150; when Edelgard was born 12 years later. There, on the next page where Ferdinand expected to see birth records of their children, instead was a page about the descendants of Ionius IX’s aunt.

Ferdinand let out a pondering hum as he paged further, and only found more records of the Arundel lineage and then nothing else about the current heir. The records continued after 1162; several of Edelgard’s older cousins and their unions, information about their marriages up until even 1171.

1171; the year of the Insurrection of the Seven; the year when Ferdinand’s father took control of the kingdom along with the other nobles. Ferdinand did not like to think about that event if he could avoid it. Growing up, he had believed that the nobles were doing the right thing in putting a tyrannical Emperor in his place. But now, Ferdinand had his doubts.

He flipped back and focused at that initial page, the page about Ionius IX’s aunt. Something about it didn’t sit well with him. Ferdinand then flipped back to where Ionius’ father, Wilhelm IV was recorded to have been born. Wilhelm IV had 4 siblings, and he alone bore a crest

Ferdinand touched his fingers to the paper and felt something; the faint buzz of black magic. Ferdinand, being not at all gifted with magic was ready to give up when he suddenly felt that familiar buzz in his veins. His crest activated; and before his very eyes, the words on the page changed shape. When the ink had settled into its true form, he saw the revised section.

Wilhelm IV had four siblings, and only one of them besides him lived to marry. The records that had been attributed to his youngest sibling Franziska, in fact, were fabrications; as she had died before having children of her own. That an entire branch of the imperial family would be fabricated was beyond Ferdinand’s comprehension. At first, he could not imagine why, until he turned to the next page.

There, exactly where Edelgard’s birth records should have always been, was now a ledger. It was a list, obviously complied and reduced from previous records. The summary was cold and detached; a list of 11 names; the children of Ionius IX and Patricia von Arundel.

1151, 27th of Lone Moon; First-born son

Adelbert; dark of hair, crest absent

1153, 6th of Wyvern Moon; first and second born daughters, identical twins

Lutgard, dark of hair; crest absent

Ortrun, dark of hair; crest absent

1156, 14th of Great Tree moon; second, third and fourth-born sons, identical triplets

Reimund; dark of hair; crest absent

Gerhardt; dark of hair, Crest absent

Leberecht, dark of hair; crest absent

1160, 10th of Harpstring moon; third-born daughter, 5th-born son; Fraternal twins

Jörgen, dark of hair, crest absent

Brünhild, dark of hair, crest absent

1162, 22nd of Garland Moon; fourth-born daughter;

Edelgard von Hresvelg; Dark of hair; Crest of Seiros

1163, 13th of Lone Moon; 6th and 7th-born daughters;

Sieglinde, dark of hair; crest absent;

Heidirun, dark of hair, crest absent.

From seeing the page to reading it to its completion, he felt like his heart had scarcely beat. He pushed the book away and put his head to his hands trying to digest everything that he had read.

10 siblings. Edelgard had once, 10 siblings. None of them had borne a crest of Seiros; none of them. He looked back at the page to check. And yes; all of the others had been recorded only as their birth names. Only Edelgard had been recorded as Edelgard von Hresvelg.

Of course; what was an emperor without the crest of Seiros, after all?

How had he never known this? How had they managed to erase the existence of 10 children of the emperor from the public mind? And where Ferdinand shuddered; where were those 10 siblings now? What in the name of the goddess had become of them? The other fact of note; Edelgard, her unnatural white hair, and piercing violet eyes.

Ferdinand felt very nearly like he might faint; the weight of this knowledge; it’s implications not only for his own family history; but for that of his dear Edelgard. The unknown factors began to gnaw at him from the inside.

Ferdinand then began to tear the office apart, in a nearly unhinged fervour. He pulled out every drawer in the desk searching for false bottoms and dug through the file cabinets. Eventually, he did find what he was looking for. Papers and files strewn about him as he stared down at his shaking hands. A document reading:

“Proposal to endow the imperial children with the crest of flames;”

After the small council meeting was dismissed; Hubert, of course, remained with Edelgard for yet a while longer. They had many other matters to attend to since returning to the capital, only one of which was Unification Festival in the coming weeks.

“Your Majesty,” Hubert began, a query clear in his voice.

“Yes, Hubert?” Edelgard asked as she finished tidying and stacking the documents in front of her, turning to face him.

Byleth, for the time being, remained at the Monastery. She had many ties there and was very insistent on being the one to oversee at least the beginning phase of its restoration. The Monastery would no longer be a centre of religious and political power, but would instead be a place of charity and education. Constance von Nuvelle and Mercedes von Martritz remained there still as well and were due to return in time for the coming festival.

But now, even though Hubert and Edelgard were alone, he still found it difficult to express his concerns directly. “I do hope that you will not take this the wrong way but—is a lavish public celebration truly…necessary?”

Edelgard gave him an odd look. “If this is about the expenses coming from the royal funds—”

Hubert shook his head. “It is not about that, Your majesty,”

“Hubert, it is just the two of us. You needn’t use my title any longer.”

Hubert swallowed thickly. Every time she said that, it was like it was the first time. No longer did she remind him of the repetition, she did not grow frustrated by his insistence on addressing her with honourifics. It was a persistent, yet gentle nudge. A small whisper of how still, she wanted to be closer to him.

“I uh— lady Edelgard—” he coughed. “I do understand the importance of such an event, but I do not think that it should be such an early priority so early after the war’s end. Perhaps in a year, on the anniversary. However, at the moment, it is my opinion that all efforts should be focused on stability and safety.”

“My work is not done. There are still people out there who need something to believe in.”

“But why make a belief of your successful conquest? Why not show the people your dedication to the cause by swift and effective governmental reform.”

Edelgard continued to not meet his eyes. “Hubert, we just finished a war. These citizens, they may only be loyal to me because they have no other choice. To reject me means to abandon their livelihoods. The people of this city, so many of them lost loved ones fighting in my war,” she paused, turning towards Hubert with her eyes still downcast. “I asked so many of my people to give their lives—” The deaths of Randolf and Ladislava still very clearly weighed heavily upon her, along with the countless others that had been lost.

“Lady Edelgard,”

“I just—If I can give them something to celebrate, something to be joyous about. Even if it means sacrificing a part of myself, then I feel that I must do it. That, and I also deeply wish to.” Edelgard finally looked up, her violet eyes meeting Hubert’s in a way that never ceased to make his breath catch in his throat.

“I understand, Lady Edelgard. I will cease my objections on this matter.”

Edelgard then reached out her hands and placed them on the thick cloth of Hubert’s gloved ones. “Thank you, as always, Hubert. You know that I always want to hear what you have to say.”

Hubert had to concentrate to keep his hands from shaking, glancing away from her for a brief moment. “I will support you.”

Edelgard smiled, rising to her feet to leave. Just before, however, she leaned in and placed a kiss against Hubert’s furrowed brow. The warmth of her smile lingered on him, his cheeks warming. “I am going along ahead to the dining hall. I hope that you and Ferdinand can join me later.”

Hubert then glanced to the clock on the wall. “Ah, it is now well past time for supper…”

Edelgard nodded, her hands and warmth drawing away. “Yes, perhaps Ferdinand has gotten overly absorbed, or fallen into a late-afternoon doze.” She said. “If you find him, tell him that I would like to meet him for tea after dinner as well.”

Hubert would probably find his way to Ferdinand eventually, but Edelgard knew that Hubert could not resist even a suggestion if it came from her. Hubert nodded and Edelgard seemed satisfied and turned to leave.

Strictly speaking, hubert did not have any policy matter left that day; nothing that needed immediate attention. But he could very easily push these pesky feelings aside and throw himself into some manner of preparation until his consciousness eventually left him. But, the warmth of Edelgard’s lips lingering on his skin; his heart still skittering in his chest; made him more susceptible to that sentimental tug.

Hubert pushed himself up from the council table and made to exit the chamber with a sweep of his cape. It had been, many hours now since Ferdinand had been dismissed earlier that day; not that long in actuality, but Hubert still found himself rushing. The Prime Minister’s office wasn’t far, and he found the way there with ease. Hubert was, in fact, eager to spend some time alone with Ferdinand, something he would never admit aloud, but he was also concerned as well. Ferdinand was the type to get absorbed in research, but even if so, he would likely have found his way back to himself and Edelgard to tell them about it. More likely, Ferdinand had stumbled into the pitch-black secrets that Edelgard and Hubert both knew were hidden there.

When he arrived, the door to the office was closed, and Hubert rapped his knuckles against it three times. After waiting precisely 7 seconds, Hubert let himself in. The office, only even pristine in the few times Hubert had seen it, was now a complete mess. Books had been haphazardly thrown from the shelves, papers strewn all about. And at the center of it all, Ferdinand collapsed where he sat at the desk.

Hubert walked forward and cleared his throat, when that didn’t work he leaned forward and sent a burst of air to rustle Ferdinand’s bangs. Immediately, Ferdinand’s eyes shot open and he jerked back, his eyes taking a moment to register who had awoken him.

“Hubert!” Ferdinand sputtered. “What are you doing here?!”

“It is hardly uncommon for me to call upon you at this hour. Regardless of our positions,” Hubert said, his lips pressing together in concentration. “Not that I am meant to be your caretaker, but it seemed odd that you had not yet returned, especially since it is well past time for dinner.

Ferdinand then gave a shocked gasp and looked to the window, seeing that the sun had nearly slipped below the horizon. “Oh dear, oh my goodness,” he said, hastily trying to hide the books and papers in front of him.

“Do not think that I can not see what you are reading into,” Hubert said coolly. “There is no need to hide it from me.”

Ferdinand stopped in his tracks and let out a long sigh. “Of course, Hubert,” Ferdinand let his hands relax, and was very nearly about to just let his head fall back down on the table.

“Lady Edelgard also was asking after you. She wanted to make sure that you were taking care of yourself.”

A sudden crush of emotion welled up in Ferdinand’s chest, an ache that was almost physically excruciating.

“If it pleases you, she also asked that you join her for an evening cup of tea,”

Ferdinand’s stomach did a flip and he buried his head in his hands. “I regrettably will have to decline I—” there was no need to hide his feelings, let alone from Hubert who could read him like an open book. “I cannot imagine facing Edelgard at this exact moment, forgive me.”

Hubert reached forward and took one of the documents into his hands. A manifest; detailing the experiments that were performed on Edelgard’s siblings. The document being ratified by the signatures of the former Duke Aegir and Count Vestra. “You do know that Edelgard cares not of your connection to Duke Aegir. I thought that much was beyond clear.”

“It is clear. It is exceedingly, excruciatingly clear.” Ferdinand said, his breathing heavy. “That only makes it worse that I had no idea! I was completely ignorant to all of this—”

“Edelgard is not interested in anyone’s pity, let lone pity that might impede relations between her and her ministers. As you also should know, Edelgard must maintain a visage of strength, even to her own detriment.” Hubert sighed.“However, as I understand it, Edelgard chose to share this information with Byleth,” he placed the manifest down and then picked up another stack of documents. “Partially because, if you have not already read; the crest that Edelgard was gifted with due to the experiments, was the crest of flames.”

Ferdinand paused, taking in those implications for a moment.

“Although Byleth’s past is still shrouded in mystery, we have reason to believe that Byleth’s crest was given to them in a similar manner.” Hubert paused. That crest however, had disappeared, along with the goddess’ power when Rhea met her downfall. But without the crest of flames, Edelgard’s connection to Byleth was now unbreakable.

Ferdinand laid his heavy head back down on the desk, his shoulders slumping as a long sigh left him. “You know Hubert…I heard her,” Ferdinand began, turning his head to the side so his words were less muffled. “Back during the academy and through the war. I heard her scream in her sleep.”

Hubert’s lips pressed together and his face shifted only slightly, but the expression was one of deep sorrow.

Ferdinand continued. “I always used to wonder; why I never heard you get up to help her when that happened. I think…perhaps I even resented you for it. I thought you must not really care about Edelgard if you were willing to let her suffer like that. And then, of course, I wondered where that left me—” Ferdinand paused, pushing himself back up off the desk. His eyes remained cast down on the papers before him, not really focusing on any one thing. “But of course I learned almost immediately how she kept everyone out.” Once the war began, after Byleth disappeared; Edelgard pushed herself away from everyone.

Hubert let out another sigh, relaxing his arms and allowing them to hang by his sides. “Not only your optimism, but your kindness is one of your most admirable features,” Hubert said, smoothly walking around the desk to stand by Ferdinand’s side.

“I am not in a mood for your teasing, Hubert.”

“That is not my intention,” Hubert said. “Tell me, what is it that you wish to do at this moment?”

Ferdinand straightened and pressed his lips together. “I must tell Edelgard somehow. I cannot go on knowing what I know, while she is not even aware.”

“I figured as much.”

Ferdinand then turned to face Hubert, gazing up at him, his eyes near hopeless. “But whatever am I to do? The last thing I would want is to bring up more of her pain,” Ferdinand grimaced. Even if he could never compare to Byleth in Edelgard’s eyes, she was still such a precious person to him. Ferdinand hoped that she valued him for more than his skills at the very least.

“Ferdinand, think for a moment,” Hubert said softly. “Do you remember what Edelgard asked you to do today?”

“She asked me to familiarize myself with the office and—” Ferdinand cut himself off as the realization dawned on him. “Wait— does this mean—”

“I am not sure if Edelgard knew precisely what information was stored here, but she most likely suspected that you would learn more about who your father really was. In essence, Edelgard trusted you with that part of herself. She trusted you, and no one else, to venture down that path, to pick up after the man that conspired to ruin the lives of her family.”

Ferdinand let out a shaky breath. “You are right…you are absolutely right. I had thought her request to be slightly odd,” he let his headrest in his gloved hand. “She trusts me…she really trusts me to know this most terrible secret—”

“She also knows who you are, Ferdinand. She knows about your gentle heart and your compassion. She also knows that it would affect you gravely, so I am sure she never truly wished you to find this.”

Ferdinand stared back down at the cursed manuscripts before him. “She never thinks of herself, does she.”

“Indeed. That is why the duty of looking out for her must fall to us,” Hubert remarked, following Ferdinand’s gaze.

“She even offered to indulge in evening tea with me…” Ferdinand said softly. “Goodness me…”

“You need not feel pressured to accept.”

“Perhaps after taking some supper, I can clear my head enough to decide what to say to her.” There was scarcely little he could imagine himself doing when seeing her, apart from throwing his arms around her and sobbing uncontrollably. There had to be more that he could do, Ferdinand knew that much. But what he also knew was that there was no use in forcing himself when he was so burdened by the weight of this sudden revelation.

Hubert gazed down at Ferdinand, waiting patiently. “First order of business is to get you properly fed.”

Ferdinand finally lets out a grateful smile, reaching out to take his friend’s gloved hand.


	2. Enduring Wishes

Hubert had meant what he said when he promised to remain with Ferdinand the rest of the night. But Ferdinand had different plans. After finally getting Ferdinand some food to keep him from keeling over, Ferdinand collected himself enough to put quill to parchment.

“Please Hubert,” Ferdinand said, placing the rolled scroll into Hubert’s hands. “Take this to Edelgard. I cannot—I cannot see her tonight, but I also cannot allow her invitation to go unanswered.”

“It would be most unbefitting of a noble to do such a thing, yes,”

Ferdinand frowned and looked up at Hubert. “Nobility be dammed, Edelgard is my beloved friend and she deserves my words directly.”

Hubert cursed himself internally, once again his bad habits forced him to say something unnecessarily abrasive.

Hubert closed his fingers over the letter and slipped it securely into his cloak. Perhaps Ferdinand would be better off without Hubert there to risk upsetting him further; Hubert thought as his gaze lingered on Ferdinand’s hurt face.

“Please return as quickly as you can,” Ferdinand said softly.

Hubert felt a flash of heat flood up his spine, made only worse by the look upon Ferdinand’s face. Hubert was no longer sure if he could even keep such a simple promise to Ferdinand, his thoughts were in complete disarray. 

“I will deliver this note to Edelgard. I most likely will stay and discuss things with her for some time after.”

Ferdinand nodded. “I will make my way back to my quarters then.” Ferdinand said, his smile rather bitter.

Hubert’s gaze lingered on Ferdinand’s for a while longer before he tore himself away. 

Leaving the imperial offices, Hubert made his way towards Edelgard’s personal quarters. On the way Hubert took the opportunity to also change into something more reasonable for the setting, he did not want Edelgard to question wether or not he intended to stay up working or relax for the evening as she would insist.

This particular wing of the imperial palace had once been used for other imperial relatives or ministers only. Understandably, Edelgard did not want to return anywhere near the imperial residence of her childhood. The Emperor and his children had once lived in an entirely separate villa from the imperial Palace, Edelgard had not even so much as looked upon that building since her return. In the various documents they went over in the meeting the precious day; one proposal focused on what to do with the villa. Suggestions included an orphanage for children in grave danger, or as a school for anyone in the capital with the determination to enter.

Hubert arrived at Edelgard’s current residence and tapped on her door in an old knock code from their childhood. 

“Come in,” he heard her call, and entered.

Edelgard was seated alone in the sitting area of her suite, a tea set and unused tea leaves set to the side. She was dressed in her evening wear, a lavish robe over her nightgown, her hair twisted into two long braids. 

She gave him a soft smile as he took his seat across from her, reaching into his pockets. Edelgard’s eyes watched him as he procured the scroll and took it when he offered it towards her.

Edelgard opened and read the letter, her lips pressing into a thin line as she finished..

“He knows now, Lady Edelgard.”

Edelgard sighed, letting the letter fall to her lap. “I feared as much.”

“He will not be satisfied with my having told you. He wants to face you about it himself,”

“That, I also feared.”

“You know how deeply he cares for you.”

“I do.”

Hubert held her gaze for a moment before letting out a short sigh. “This is, as I understand it, the nature of love and emotional intimacy. When you care for someone, their pain becomes your own.”

Edelgard did not reply. 

“You knew that he would find those documents, I presume.”

“I did.”

“Why then did you not order the documents disposed of?”

Edelgard paused. “What more do I have to gain from hiding that from him any longer? Ferdinand needs to know everything that the previous government did. He needs to know, as the new prime minister.”

“I do see the necessity of that.” Hubert frowned. “However, this is not purely about governance. You could very well have those specific duties transferred to me. You were so insistent on secrecy before after all. I figured that you only told our professor because you needed her power,” Hubert paused again. “Unless, it turns out that I am once again, mistaken…?”

Edelgard turned to Hubert, her gaze firm. Hubert swallowed and glanced away. “If you told the professor and Ferdinand because you wanted to share that part of yourself; to become closer with them, then why—” Hubert cut himself off. Why then did Edelgard tell him, so readily? 

All those years ago, when Edelgard returned from the kingdom, the girl he had first met was gone. Gone was her soft brown hair and lively demeanor; instead was a dour girl with shock-white hair. Still only a child, she quivered and told the young Hubert every horrible thing that she had suffered.

It was that moment that his rage that ignited within him, as he was still a teenager, it roiled and threatened to burn him from the inside. Hearing what had befallen Edelgard, out of a pursuit for power; was enough to make him want to murder every single one of the Seven with his own hands. But that was not the path that could be taken. Eventually those most troublesome of them would be culled, Hubert’s father, most importantly. Over time, his rage finally began to subside, but it still simmered there under the surface.

Hubert’s breath caught in his throat. Why was this idea so terrifying to him? Hubert clearly loved Edelgard, he had loved her for years, never expecting or wanting reciprocation. He was always content with standing in her shadow, walking by her side on their crimson path. 

Perhaps what was most terrifying, was that accepting those mutual feelings, meant also that he would have allow his darkest secrets to be revealed as well. And what scared him the most, was if Edelgard looked into his heart, and found that she hated what she saw, and discarded him.

“L―” he bit down on the honorific and forced himself to continue. “Edelgard…” her name, unaccompanied by any sign of respect, it felt like it burned his tongue on the way out; but he said it nonetheless.

Edelgard blinked, her surprise turning her eyes wide and her cheeks pink. 

“I promised Ferdinand that I would return to him after delivering his note.”

Edelgard nodded. “I understand. You need not break your promise to him on my account.”

Hubert grimaced. Edelgard, while beyond adept at hiding her emotions from most others, could not hide anything from him. There was a reason she asked for evening tea with Ferdinand, and why she was so eager to chat with Hubert in Ferdinand’s stead. Edelgard was lonely. The idea of leaving her side while she missed Byleth so severely filled Hubert with the most unpleasant sensation.

“I would like to suggest that you accompany me.”

“Accompany? Go with you back to Ferdinand?”

“Yes, he should be retiring in his quarters by now, I was intending to stay by him, as he seemed…quite disturbed by what he learned today.”

Edelgard’s face fell and she glanced down. While she had indeed wanted Ferdinand to know as a sign of her trust; she also had known how it would affect him. “Hubert…was it―selfish of me? To allow Ferdinand to learn this terrible secret, strictly for my own benefit?”

Hubert blinked. “For your own benefit? You mean the fact that it allows the two of you to be…closer?” Hubert let out a light cough. 

Edelgard sighed. “As Ferdinand is unable to face me; I am not sure if I can face him as readily as I thought.”

“Edelgard―I hope you understand the absurdity of this. Not to be callous towards our…dear Ferdinand; but―” he grimaced. “You are the one who has suffered far more greatly than he even has. While you certainly have an affect on his emotions; his reactions aren’t your fault.” He paused. “They are however, your responsibility. It would be most prudent for you to help him manage this reaction.”

Edelgard pressed her lips together, pondering his words carefully.

“But, I am sure that you realise that the bulk of his reaction is not from learning of his father’s misdeeds; but because you—someone he cares for greatly, suffered beyond his comprehension.” Hubert, despite his intentional obliviousness to his own emotions, was quite accurate when it came to the hearts of those closest to him, as it turned out. 

“You are correct. It is only right that I go with you to see him. Even though the prospect quite frankly…terrifies me.”

Hubert reached out, and in a positively daring move for him, touched his gloved hand over Edelgard’s. “There is no need for you to ever fear, as long as I am by your side.”

Edelgard’s face bloomed into a small smile. “Thank you, Hubert.”

Ferdinand, upon returning to his quarters changed as quickly as he could and all but threw himself into bed. Somehow, the lavish imperial residence felt far less welcoming than his familiar room back at the monastery. But he had no choice but to grow accustomed to it. 

Before returning to the imperial palace, they had parted ways with many other old friends. Some temporarily; others for much longer. 

Petra, firstly returned posthaste to her homeland. Even though she promised to return when she could, Ferdinand could not help but doubt that fortune would be so kind. Petra of course did not want to leave the family she had found in Fódlan, but she could also not abandon her people.

Dorothea and Bernadetta went with her. Both of them eager to leave the dark confining memories of their past behind. Bernadetta’s choice had suprised many, Dorothea’s less so. While Dorothea was already returning, Petra and Bernadetta were not due until much closer to the festival. 

Before parting, Dorothea however had left with Ferdinand a small pendant; hexagonal(like a honeycomb) with a rose pattern on it. Dorothea too promised to see him soon again, but imperial politics were not a world that she wanted to further immerse herself in if she could help it.

Ferdinand let out a sigh, burying his face in the infuriatingly soft feather pillow. As time dragged on, Ferdinand became more and more certain that Hubert would break his promise and stay with Edelgard instead. Ferdinand would not fault Hubert for that; allowing himself to accept the feelings Ferdinand had towards Hubert meant accepting that Edelgard would still always come first. 

Ferdinand knew that, he accepted that, but it didn’t make it hurt any less.

Just as Ferdinand felt the tell-tale tug of sorrow creep up again, he heard the outside door to his suite open, the sound of footsteps and then a knock on his bedroom door.

Ferdinand sat up straight in his bed, his heart staring to race in his chest. “Come in!” Ferdinand said, and the door opened accordingly. 

Hubert’s usually ink-black silhouette was now much paler and fairer. His sleep-clothes were as pale as his skin, the moonlight from the window behind Ferdinand’s bed washed him out and made him appear positively ghostly.

The lanterns were still lit in the sitting room behind Hubert, that warm glow however, did not seem to illuminate his form as it should. When Ferdinand looked closer, he noticed there was someone else standing at Hubert’s shoulder. 

“Hubert―I…” Ferdinand began to swing his legs over the side of his bed, intending to move towards the chairs and tea table that his bedroom was also equipped with. But he was stopped when Hubert walked very purposely towards him, Edelgard directly behind him.

“You are in no state to treat us like guests to be entertained,” Hubert said, taking in Ferdinand’s tear-stained face and his unkempt hair.

Ferdinand hastily rubbed his face. “I uh―forgive me. I must admit, I am suprised that you are both here.”

Edelgard finally spoke up. “I apologise if you truly did not wish to see me tonight, but I felt that i―” she paused. “I…wanted to be here for you as well.”

Ferdinand let out a dry laugh. “Edelgard. I cannot accept your comfort for this matter. In comparison to you―my suffering is infinitesimal!” While Ferdinand spoke, Hubert and Edelgard continued to walk towards him. Hubert even sat down on Ferdinaind’s bed, causing the red-headed man to nearly jump out of his skin. 

“I promised you that I would return, did I not?” Hubert said.

Ferdinand stammered, completely unable to pay attention to Edelgard’s movements with Hubert that close. “Yes but―this is an entirely different matter!”

Edelgard was now standing right in front of Ferdinand. After a moment, he gasped and turned to look at her.

While the moonlight tended to make Hubert look like a malevolent spectre, the same while glow made edelgard look ethereal, perhaps even divine. Ferdinand was transfixed for a moment before he forced himself back to his senses. “Edelgard I―”

“If recieving comfort from me is unacceptable, then perhaps consider that I need comforting from you?” She said rather calmly, although a light blush appeared to brush her cheeks. 

“Edelgard?”

Hubert and Edelgard, despite the lingering secrets between them were still able to communicate flawlessly with scarcely a glance between them. With a nod from Edelgard, Hubert suddenly pulled back the covers of Ferdinand’s bed, causing him to start. Hubert then reached his left arm straight across Ferdinand’s chest and dragged them both onto the bed. 

Ferdinand was no stranger to this in the slightest. He had spent many subdued, intimate nights in the arms of a loved one, but this was entirely different, he thought. Now on top of Hubert grabbing him so suddenly, Edelgard was now crawling into the bed along with them, her eyes locked with Ferdinand’s.

Her gaze was an almost familiar look of determination, but now tinged with just a hint of distant sadness, just enough to make Ferdinand’s heart ache to comfort her. Perhaps that was her plan, because when she moved to wrap her arms around him, Ferdinand did not protest. 

Hubert held Ferdinand tightly from behind, his hands then suddenly working to rid himself of his gloves. In truth, this is what Ferdinand had wanted, however foolishly or naively, he wanted to hold Edelgard and comfort her from her nightmares. but it would be foolish to insist that he too didn't need comfort this night.

It hurt, it hurt so deeply that Ferdinand could hardly describe it. While it could not at all compare to what Edelgard must feel, it was no less real. Ferdinand himself, could not imagine accomplishing what Edelgard has with that kind of past. The passing of his elderly grandparents shook him, not to mention the deaths of his many beloved war horses. To lose ones own siblings; 10 of them…

Those thoughts continued to rattle about in his mind, an unceasing clamour. Even in the arms of his two closest friends it was hard to ignore. But even so, it certainly helped. After a while, Edelgard began to slowly thread her fingers through Ferdinand’s hair, one of Hubert’s hands caressing Ferdinand’s lower arm. These sensations would thrill and possibly even titilate him in any other context, but now those pricks of warmth serve only to keep him from drifting back into despair. 

He kept his eyes closed and let out a long and laboured breath, at long last, hooking his right arm under Edelgard to hold her in return. Edelgard seemed pleased by this and pulled herself closer. 

Edelgard however, unlike Hubert kept wearing her gloves. Additionally her nightclothes covered her from neck to toe. Moving his legs slightly he could feel that Edelgard’s feet too were covered in thick stockings. Never before had the thought concerned him at all, even when Edelgard was fully covered at the height of summer. After all, during war, one could not afford to leave even a single weakness. But now, seeing Edelgard when meant to be her most vulnerable, it finally seemed consequential.

He remembered the details of the experiments performed on Edelgard on her siblings and again felt like he might be sick. In response he grabbed for Hubert’s hand and squeezed it.

Eventually, sleep would find him. Edelgard already seemed to be in a deep doze. And if she could find the peacefulness to sleep, then perhaps Ferdinand could too. Or so he thought. Just when his consciousness started to fade, and he was ready to slip into oblivion, Ferdinand was suddenly awoken by a loud gasp and frantic movements from his right side.

Edelgard sat upright with a jolt. Her eyes were wide, whole body shaking. Ferdinand pushed himself up and watched her intently, his heart feeling split open in his chest.

Edelgard’s eyes then shot to Ferdinand and then behind him to Hubert. Ferdinand could tell that Hubert was up as well, and saw his concern reflected in Edelgard’s look of shame. Perhaps Hubert was resigned to watch her pull herself away again. 

“I am sorry,” she uttered, not looking at either of them. “I appear to have woken you both.” Edelgard then moved to swing her legs over the edge of the bed. 

Ferdinand moved without thinking, doing something so reckless and rash that he scarcely believed he was capable of such a thing. 

Edelgard stopped moving, taking in a short gasp before finally looking back at Ferdinand. Ferdinand had reached out and taken a hold of her shoulder to stop her. Touching Edelgard without permission was bad enough, let alone attempting to stop or restrain her in any way. The realization of his impulsive action slowly dawned on him, and he fully expected Hubert to tear tear his hand from Edelgard posthaste.

But instead, all three of them remained motionless.

“I…” Edelgard began. “I should leave.”

“Edelgard…” Ferdinand replied. “You should only do what you wish to do.”

“I will not allow my selfish wishes to trample over that of my closest friends”

Ferdinand’s face flushed as he thought over his words carefully. “I do not know what you think my wish is, then. My wish for this moment does not involve you leaving.”

Edelgard stared back at him, her obsessively placid expression starting to crack even if only slightly. 

Ferdinand forced himself to keep meeting her eyes as he spoke. “I would like you to remain here, and allow us to care for you,” Ferdinand said before swallowing thickly. “Allow us—allow me, to give what comfort we are able to—” he let out a short sigh. “That is what I wish.”

Edelgard stared back at him but regained her composure for the moment to glance finally at Hubert. “Hubert, do you feel the same?”

Hubert bit his lip and glanced away, one of his hand clenching in the sheets. “I do….L—Edelgard…” he practically wheezed.

Edelgard’s eyes fell to the middle distance as she took a moment to allow her feelings to settle in. How many times had she insisted that Ferdinand and Hubert treat her as an equal? That they shed their formalities and treat her as a friend. Edelgard in return valued them so deeply as friends and did not want to be treated coldly and distantly by them. Perhaps now it was time for her to finally return that in kind. “Very well then,” she said, her face still turned down in embarrassment. Without another word, she moved from her position at the edge of Ferdinand’s bed. She crawled over his legs and pulled herself up between Ferdinand and Hubert on the bed.

Ferdinand sputtered but dutifully moved over to give her enough space. Edelgard settled under the covers and immediately grabbed Ferdinand by the collar to pull him closer. Edelgard then turned to Hubert and met his amber gaze. Even in the low moonlight, she could see his feelings clearly. Edelgard lifted a hand to caress Hubert’s cheek, his eyes closing, showing that his worries were now abated.

“In that case, I have no reason to refuse your requests,” she said softly, her formal phrasing only barely concealing the raw emotion that was welling up in her chest. “Especially when your wishes match my own.”

Ferdinand took her words as permission to pull himself closer, draping one arm across her abdomen. Hubert as well pulled close, resting his chin on the crown of Edelgard’s head.

Edelgard let out a sigh her eyes finally drifting shut. A thousand words that she yearned to say accumulated behind her lips. But with the state of her heart, still shaken from her usual nightmares, she feared that she would be unable to keep from breaking down sobbing. Perhaps one day she would be able to allow herself that luxury, of genuine catharsis and comfort. But for one more night at least, she pushed those worries from her mind. 

In this moment however, she found it easier than ever before. The feeling of Hubert’s regular breaths rustling through her hair; Ferdinand’s Hair spilling over his shoulder’s and tickling her face. These sensations were more than enough to keep her tied securely to the present. Warmth that she had been denied, and for even longer denied for herself. Now, even for just a moment she could let it warm her as well. 


	3. Chapter 3

Sunlight pouring through the window was not enough to wake him. The warmth did not even register when such greater warmth enveloped him where he lay. His face was pressed securely against Edelgard’s chest, so close that were he lucid he would immediately fall into a flustered panic. But at the moment, Ferdinand was at peace. Edelgard’s hands were threaded through his hair, only falling away as he started to stir. 

In his early morning haze, he could see Hubert’s arm draped over Edelgard, her body leaning back against his, completely relaxed. Ferdinand smiled, seeing Edelgard’s face completely at peace, Hubert too, never looking more content. But as he grew more aware, he noticed that as he had started to move, Edelgard’s hand clamped down on his shirt. As he blinked, he then realised. Edelgard too had removed her gloves. Pale slender fingers, pink scars peeking out from under the wrist-cuff of her gown. Ferdinand’s eyes widened, his face flushing.

Just as it all began flooding back, Ferdinand’s reverie was shattered. A knock was heard, coming from the outer suite door. Ferdinand reacted by pulling away, jerking so suddenly from the other two that he certainly roused them. They then heard the outer door open, followed immediately by the the sound of a familiar voice.

“Hello~ Ferdie are you in here?” It was Dorothea, calling into the sitting room area of Ferdinand’s suite. 

Ferdinand then dragged himself to his feet and lumbered towards the door. “Yes! Hello Dorothea, I am in here!”

“Ferdie! She called, walking towards the door and starting to turn the knob. Ferdinand however grabbed it from his side and kept it still. There was a pause before Dorothea jostled the knob again and let out a grunt. “I’m sorry, am I suddenly not allowed in your room?”

“I am—I am not yet decent!”

Dorothea let out a scoff that told Ferdiand she must be rolling her eyes. “Ferdinand, I thought you and I were way passed that! I’ve seen you in much less- and much more scandalous things than your night shirt.”

Ferdinand had no retort to that. From behind him he heard Hubert snicker. Ferdinand turned around and glared at Hubert. There on the bed, Edelgard was still dozing. She had turned towards him, pressing her face against his chest. Her bare hands were resting on his exposed collarbone. That area of Hubert’s usually pale skin was flushed bright red.

“Ferdie~” Dorothea continued. “No need to hide from me.” The knowing tone in Dorothea’s voice made Ferdinand swallow nervously. “You don’t think I didn’t check Edie and Hubie’s room first?”

Ferdinand cleared his throat. “Did you now?”

“If both of them aren’t there, there’s only one other place the two of them could be! Come now, I’m here to help Edie with her clothes, so let me just get a head start in straightening her out from last night.”

Even though Dorothea clearly meant it as a joke, Ferdinand visibly bristled at that insinuation. Any other time he would have accepted it, because of course; Ferdinand would gladly assent to a physical union with Edelgard if she ever so desired. But given the weight of what he learned the night before, the mere suggestion of it made a bewildered rage flare up in his stomach.

“Ferdinand,” Hubert’s voice rang out, clearly sensing his distress. Ferdinand looked to him, meeting his cool gaze. Doing so really did help him calm down, it helped Ferdinand remember what was important. 

Ferdinand let out a sigh. “Very well Dorothea,” Ferdinand then opened the door and faced her. 

Dorothea’s expression changed as soon as she saw his face. “Oh—Ferdie…” her hands then suddenly went to his face. “My dear, your face is all puffy and smeared…” she rubbed her thumbs under his eyes and massaged his temples with her fingertips. “Forgive me, I’ll watch my tongue now.”

Ferdinand gave her a grateful smile. “It is wonderful to see you, Dorothea,” he said, his voice cracking slightly.

Dorothea returned his smile, brushing her hands through his hair before slipping around him into the bedroom. “Good morning Edie, Hubie~”

“Good morning,” Hubert grunted.

Edelgard slowly rose from her doze, rubbing her eyes while Hubert promptly removed himself from the bed and straightened himself out. 

Edelgard gave Dorothea a somewhat puzzled look. Her sleep-weariness keeping her joy at bay for the moment. “Dorothea. If I recall correctly our appointment wasn’t until at least tomorrow?”

Dorothea nodded. “Yes, but I wanted to see you as soon as I could! I got to the city late last night.”

“Ah, yes of course.” Edelgard then gave Dorothea a familiar smile “Thank you for coming back so soon all the way from Brigid. I trust Petra is well?”

Dorothea nodded. “Yes she is quite well. Very happy to be back home.”

While the two reminisced, Ferdinand went along to start dressing himself for the day. There would be another small council meeting as well as the endless list of things to do.

Dorothea looked up, glancing at Hubert and Ferdinand with her usual mischievous smile. “Well, how about I just take Edie to get her imperial self ready then?” She said, taking Edelgard’s hands in her own. Edelgard smiled in reply and pulled herself up. “That sounds lovely Dorothea.”

Ferdinand gave them a polite nod, happy for them to get more time for themselves. As Dorothea left, she gave Ferdinand one last lingering glance. Ferdinand knew that he would have to speak with Dorothea alone at some point soon, but that would have to come later after the day was done.

Hubert remained, undoubtably remaining dedicated to his promise to make sure that Ferdinand was completely cared for.

Ferdinand stood in front of his vanity, in dark brown britches, a frilled blouse and a wide-necked brocaded waistcoat. He was fussing with his hair, finding that the fine hairs near his neck had become tangled on the gold chain of his pendant.

“Allow me,” Hubert said, approaching Ferdinand from behind. 

Ferdinand started slightly but let his hands fall away so Hubert could take care of it.

Hubert then pushed aside Ferdinand’s hair and found his way to the problem. He undid the latch of the necklace and untangled it as best he could. Some of the hairs were hopelessly matted, and so he held at the base of Ferdinand’s neck before snapping the necklace free. Ferdinand then pulled his hair over his chest and grabbed a brush to finished untangling it all.

Hubert removed the tangled hairs from the necklace and discarded them, untwisting the straightening the chain as he did so. Ferdinand then lifted up his hair, waiting for Hubert to return. Hubert then placed the necklace around Ferdinand’s neck from behind, securing it in place jus before Ferdinand let his hair fall back into place.

“Thank you,” Ferdinand said with a small smile.

It was clear to Hubert, that the emotional distress of the night before had kept Ferdinand from his usual routines. Ferdinand treasured this gift from Dorothea more than anything.

After a pause, Hubert spoke up again. “Are you truly in a state to continue working today?”

Ferdinand gave him a look of surprise. “What? Of course, whyever would I not be?”

Hubert gave him a pointed glare.

“Yes, Of course, I know to what you are referring.” Ferdinand said, waving his hand and dismissing the subject far too readily for Hubert’s liking. Ferdinand turned around and returned to his vanity, and sat down. Hubert let out a grumble and went about straightening out the wardrobe he had rummage through, also picking up Ferdinand’s gloves, coat and cravat to bring back over.

Ferdinand was finishing his morning grooming routine. He had pulled out a small make up kit; a gift from Dorothea, the she had also taught him to use. Apply just enough to conceal the odd stress-induced blemishes as well as throughly hide all signs of yesterdays tears. This however came with the side effect that if he cried again, the smudged eyeliner would be all the more obvious.

Hubert now stood behind Ferdinand’s chair, waiting almost like a dutiful butler. When Ferdinand finished with a final flourish of the powder brush, he put his make up away and pulled a small violet ribbon from his vanity before standing up to face Hubert again. 

Ferdinand walked over to stand in front of Hubert. He placed the ribbon in Hubert’s open left hand before taking the coat, which had his gloves and cravat stored in the pockets. Ferdinand turned around and worked to finish dressing, allowing Hubert to do what he wished with the ribbon. 

Hubert was beyond adept at doing hair, as he was almost exclusively the one to do Edelgard’s hair for her. Hubert took the long strands that framed Ferdinand’s face and pulled them to the back of his head. He took up more strands and twisted a loose fishtail braid down the back, leaving much of the hair still loose. Hubert secured it with a ribbon and then moved to make his leave.Ferdinand however grabbed Hubert’s hand to stop him.

“Just a moment Hubert.” Ferdinand stood up and gestured to the vanity seat. “We can’t have you appearing before our emperor still looking like the dead, now can we?”

Hubert gave a small smirk and sat down, leaning back in the chair heavily. Ferdinand placed both hands on the side of Hubert’s face before getting to work.

There is silence between them for several long moments. Ferdinand does seem brighter, but still weighed down. Beyond the revelation of the night before, Ferdinand was hiding something. He would have to speak with Dorothea, there was dissatisfaction in Ferdinand that Hubert could quite easily read. At any other moment, Hubert might ignore it or gently prod, but as it would seem, Hubert himself was also in a rather unbalanced state.

“You were quite restrained with Dorothea earlier,” Hubert remarks.

Ferdinand pauses briefly with the brush on Hubert’s cheek. “It wouldn’t exactly be appropriate with…an audience,” Ferdinand says, his cheeks heating slightly. “To show any further affection than we did.”

Hubert smirks. “You have no need to avoid affectionate displays before Edelgard and myself.”

“I suppose that is correct…” Ferdinand says, managing to resume the contouring.

“You and Dorothea have been separated for several moons now. None of us would blame you if the passion were to become…overwhelming.”

Ferdinand reacts again but this time with a grimace which still does not manage to dissuade Hubert for the moment. “Lady Edelgard is fond of both you and Dorothea, I can only imagine that a display of your closeness and happiness would please her.”

Ferdinand coughs. “Yes, but there are _limits._”

Hubert smirks darkly. “I am only suggesting that you permit yourself basic affection with your lover in her presence. Although, you appear to be thinking of something even more _scandalous_.”

Ferdinand does not deny this as his face goes red to the ears.

Ferdinand is Hubert’s dear friend, they have grown to understand one another after many years of clashing, but they are not above the occasional bout of ribbing still. However…despite Hubert knowing that Ferdinand is still incredibly raw and vulnerable at this moment, something dark and unhinged within him pushes him further. “Are you perhaps instead imagining that your shared passions with Dorothea should have an audience? How fascinating. I knew you always to be a bit of a showman but this is a fascinating development.”

“Hubert.” Ferdinand says firmly, his expression darkening as he places the brush back on his vanity. 

Hubert however is not looking in Ferdinand’s direction, instead facing away with his arms crossed over his chest. “I do wonder. If Edelgard did order you to…how far would you go—”

“Hubert!”

Ferdinand raising his voice is enough to finally bring Hubert back to his senses. He meets Ferdinand’s gaze, seeing there genuine anger and perhaps even some faint hurt.

What had been Hubert’s goal? What had been the reason for him pressing on this particular point? Hubert did not want to know, nor dwell upon it. The reason was most likely one that would only complicate things further.

Hubert swallows, an apology tasting bitter on his tongue, but it was necessitated. “Forgive me,” Hubert rasps, turning away when the pain in Ferdinand’s expression became too much to bear. This was unavoidable, seeing Ferdinand genuinely upset from his actions was deeply unpleasant.

Ferdinand lets out a sigh. “This is unlike you, Hubert,” Ferdinand says, his voice dipping in pitch.

“You are correct. I do not know what came over me.” This is a blatant dismissal, Ferdinand can see. However, he himself is not at all equipped to deal with this for the moment. 

“Sometimes that happens Hubert, overwhelming emotion can cause one to do unexpected things,”

Hubert stands up and walks over to the bedside table to collect his gloves and then put his discarded jacket over his arm. Hubert then pulled his gloves on one at at time before sliding his arms through the sleeves of his jacket. Hubert does not wish to think, he does not wish to engage with what emotions Ferdinand could be referring to. But Ferdinand is correct. Something was festering in Hubert.

“I will go on ahead to my office,” Ferdinand says, making his way to the door. “I will see you at the meeting.”

Edelgard and Dorothea returned to the Emperor’s own chambers. Above all, Edelgard was glad that she was not forced to return alone. 

As they had done many times before, Dorothea let Edelgard get changed and then Dorothea was allowed in to help with the Emperor’s hair and headpiece. 

“I do not even allow Hubert to dress me,” Edelgard always insisted, and Dorothea was never one to pry.

Dorothea stood there behind Edelgard as the sat at the vanity. Dorothea’s hands were slow and purposeful as they pulled the ornate brush through Edelgard’s hair. 

“So, Edie,” Dorothea began, her voice a little playful. “You don’t have to go into the details of course.”

Edelgard let out a low scoff. “What will it take for you to believe me? Nothing…indecent happened last night.”

“Oh don’t you worry, I think I understand how things work between you three by now.” Dorothea giggled. “It just surprised me is all! I bet the three of you were so cute all cuddled up together like a litter of puppies.”

Edelgard gave a rather weak smile in reply. Edelgard, despite her reservations, felt that she at least needed to be as honest as possible to Dorothea. 

“Yesterday was actually the first day where we were able to find our footing here in the imperial palace,” Edelgard began. All the while Dorothea continued to work out the tangles in Edelgard’s thin and fragile hair. “We have much that still needs to be put to rights with how this government functioned. All of my new ministers have been appointed, of course.”

“That’s great to hear Edie. I’ll be meeting everyone in the council today, right?”

Edelgard nodded. “Yes, and I have a mind to make you the official ambassador to Brigid as soon as the opportunity arises.”

“That sounds perfect.”

Edelgard paused while Dorothea moved away to collect Edelgard’s crown. For internal affairs, Edelgard now favoured a more subdued version. No longer needing to project power as the leader of a war. This one was gold, bearing a similar jewel that hung at the centre of her forehead. Without the large dragon horns to wind her hair into, Dorothea was free to adorn it as she chose. The crown was no less regal; bearing instead the motif of a eagle’s beak with a feather-like twisting weave that went around to the back of her head.

Dorothea secured the crown in place, weaving crimson ribbons through her hair as she did so. She then began to braid Edelgard’s forelocks one by one to pull them back around to frame the crown.

“Ferdinand is the new acting Prime minister. Although I intend to reform the imperial cabinet,” Edelgard continued. “Before we can even begin, I unfortunately had to have Ferdinand familiarise himself with the more disturbing parts of his father’s legacy.”

Dorothea nodded solemnly. She did not know the details, but she knew how heavily the crimes of the previous Duke Aegir weighed on their dear Ferdinand. 

“He learned some…truly horrifying things. Things that I never tell anyone unless it is absolutely necessary,” Edelgard paused. “He did not take it well. And so I knew that I had to do all that I could.”

Dorothea nodded. Fully understanding. “I am glad that you and Hubert could be there for him,” she said, just a hint of sadness creeping into her voice. 

“It was not easy, but it worked out as best as it could.” Edelgard had said as much as she could. The embarrassing show of weakness that happened later in the evening, Edelgard could not find the will to speak of it. It still honestly pained her to think about it. Even though being cradled by Hubert and Ferdinand had been beyond comforting, it still burned a hole in the pit of her stomach to be so helpless. 

“Ferdie did seem a bit more on edge than usual,” Dorothea mused. “I hope he doesn’t force himself today.” Dorothea knew how deeply affected Ferdinand could be by the pain of his friends. She had seen it herself when she finally told him the dark details of her past. 

Dorothea put the final touches on Edelgard’s hair, letting out a satisfied sigh, 

“It looks wonderful as always, Dorothea.”

“Of course, dear Edie.”

With the hair now done, Edelgard moved her hands to open the top drawer of her vanity. Dorothea then let out a small gasp as a sudden thought occurred to her. “Oh, you still need your gloves. I can get a fresh pair for you.”

Edelgard shook her head. “That will not be necessary. I am ready to attend the meeting as I am.”

Dorothea blinked, nothing short of completely shocked. Her eyes then glanced at Edelgard’s fingernails. While not messy, they were far from manicured. “Of course Edie.” She collected herself and stood to the side as Edelgard stood from her chair.

”Let us be going now. We have much yet to discuss.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of politics and feelings. I probably got some things messed up but i’ll Try and detail my vision for the re-structured unified Fodlan later on, i started spending way too much time making org charts and researching government styles  
Regardless. Enjoy! Even as my soft spot for doronand sneaks through. Read my doronand focused fic to get the whole story on them~

Once again, Edelgard sat in the small council room with her closest ministers gathered. This time however, there were yet two stragglers. Even as the time for the meeting drew near, the seats at her left and right were still vacant.

Dorothea sat one seat over on Edelgard’s right, next to where Ferdinand was meant to sit. She shared a brief glance with Edelgard before turning her eyes out over the table. The other ministers were chatting quietly amongst themselves as they waited. many of the chairs empty as this meeting was a special one.

Unlike the previous day, this meeting was only for the core ministers, allowing the others to go about doing the work that was assigned to them. These assembled Ministers were also those to whom information about Brigid and other territorial intel would be most relevant. Edelgard remained silent, going over the agenda for the day while Dorothea made conversation with the minister to her left.

“Fléche, it’s so wonderful to see you again!” Dorothea said.

Fléche smiled. “Thank you Dorothea, likewise!” She said excitedly. While they had not grown particularly close during the war, they had met and worked together on several occasions. And now that the war was over, more natural friendships could now be formed.

“I bet you’ve been busy since I left,” Dorothea said, glancing down to the pile of papers at Fléche’s fingertips.

Fléche let out a nervous chuckle and crutches the side of her face. “Yes, it’s a lot to deal with, but I can handle it. Especially since the rest of house Bergliez is being so supportive.” Fléche’s older brother had once been favoured to inherit the Bergliez title over the true born Bergliez heir. This once meant a lot of tension between her and the main Bergeliez branch, but since the war, tensions had been significantly eased.

“Oh? That’s wonderful to hear.” Dorothea replied. “I haven’t had a chance to see Caspar yet since I arrived,” she trailed off.

Fléche giggled. “I managed to drag him to yesterday’s meeting but, unfortunately he’s already run off on yet another mission.”

Dorothea let out a sigh. “What a shame,” she said, leaning her face into her hand.“You can save the details for the meeting,” Dorothea said. “I am more curious about how _you_ are doing.”

They continued to chat, Fléche all the while somewhat nervously looking at her notes, as if always checking to make sure that everything was still correct. Dorothea picked up on that nervousness and did her best to ease the girl’s nerves, instead telling her stories of her visit to Brigid.

Across the table, left of Hubert’s chair sat Manuela Casagrande. A trusted advisor of Edelgard who was serving as Acting Minister of Education. She was rather quiet, surprisingly as to her own left sat her long-time-rival Hanneman. Seeming rather restless, Manuela then got up from her chair to walk over to where Dorothea and Fléche were happily chatting.

“Not to barge in on your conversation, but it just seemed so lively over here!” She said, throwing a brief irritated glance towards Hanneman.

Hanneman, now having returned to the country he once abandoned, beyond ready to help Edelgard towards her new world as the current Acting Minister of Domestic affairs. Linhardt had never desired his father’s title, and through his close work with Hanneman, suggested that Hanneman take over for him.

Manuela leaned over, resting a hand on the back of Dorothea’s chair. “Dorothea dear, you simply have to tell me all about Brigid later over tea.”

Dorothea gave her a grin. “If you’re wondering about the handsome Brigidian men I’ve met there I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. I am not exactly on the look out for that sort of thing anymore.”

Manuela gave an incredulous scoff. “Now Dorothea! You think so little of me! I simply wish to learn all about the place that my dear friend will call home!”

The three women continued to chat rather enthusiastically, Fléche’s posture visibly relaxing the more that they spoke.

Back across the table, next to Hanneman was seated Lorenz who had also engaged Hanneman in conversation that the older man seemed to be entertaining without any visible complaint. Lysithea was seated to the left of Lorenz, her irritation at Lorenz being much less concealed.

The energy in the council room seemed to increase the closer it got to the meeting time. Until at long last the large oaken doors swung open, drawing the attention of everyone in attendance.

Ferdinand arrived, alone. He adjusted his gloves and let the doors swing back closed behind him. Despite now being very well groomed and well put together, he did not appear to be much better than he had when he woke up. Dorothea’s eyes follow him and she catches his wrist as he walks by.

“Ferdie—”

“Forgive me,” he says, hardly glancing at Dorothea before addressing Edelgard. “I briefly returned to my office to put some things in order before making my way here.”

Edelgard meets his gaze evenly. “No forgiveness is required, as the meeting has yet to begin,” her eyes then slide to the door behind him. “We will wait until the scheduled time, and then begin promptly.”

Ferdinand’s fist clenches at his side, but he does not pull his hand out of Dorothea’s grip. She gently tugs, beckoning Ferdinand to sit down, which he does eventually.

The next ten minutes slide by, Dorothea venturing worried glances at Ferdie, all the while, the seat at Edelgard’s left hand remains empty.

Manuela returned to her seat rather reluctantly, Fléche giving her papers one last glance before everyone sat in attention for Edelgard to begin.

Edelgard glanced around the table, her expression pleasant before starting. “Thank you everyone for appearing today. This meeting will be shorter, as to allow as much time to work towards our endeavours as possible,” Edelgard began. “But this meeting in particular is to welcome back Dorothea from her trip to Brigid.” Edelgard nodded to her right, Dorothea raising her hand to acknowledge the rest of the council.

“Brigid is a close and trusted ally, despite strained relations in the past. I have no intention of attempting to manage Brigid as one of our provinces, as. I have made very clear to Brigid’s new monarch.”

Brigid, as of currently was an autonomous Crownship within the empire. A plan for Brigid to achieve independence was already on the agenda, but would have to wait until all of Fódlan achieved stability once again.

“As you all know, this unification of Fódlan is not meant to be a permanent political union. In time, I desire for the territories to become self-sufficient and independent. The only thing binding us together being a unifying code of laws and conduct.”

She turned her gaze towards Lorenz. “Representative Lorenz,” she said. “Has your office completed the reformed Leicester plan that was requested?”

“Yes we have, your majesty. If it so pleases you, I will have my undersecretary submit the plan for your approval by the end of the day.”

Lysithea rolled her eyes almost unnoticeably, knowing that meant just more work for her.

Edelgard nodded. “While I would like the plan for reference, please do not wait for my approval. I wish only that this plan is seen and approved by the lords and ladies of Leicester.”

“Understood, your majesty. I will have the plan sent ahead of me to the Alliance.”

“Fléche,” Edelgard continued, moving down her agenda. “Any updates from Count Bergliez on the status of this year’s harvest?” Since the war, Caspar’s father(Fléche’s brother by marraige) was tasked with using the resources of Gronder field to distribute food aide to all regions of the empire, extending even into the kingdom and alliance especially. His role from now on would be to focus on ruling his territory, while the wishes of his late father now manifested in Fléche.

Fléche nodded. “I just got word yesterday that the harvest has been completed. Thankfully not a significant of the crops were damaged in the war. There is only a request for a strong military escort to accompany the provision caravans as they are sent to other regions. I have actually already dispatched Caspar to head up this effort. ”

Edelgard continued, lifting one hand from her stack of papers, and gesturing towards Ferdinand.

“Ferdinand,” she began. “Your position has you handling foreign affairs. I would like you and Dorothea to work on establishing a proper embassy in Brigid as well as the ambassadorship.”

Edelgard’s words were followed by a prolonged silence. Ferdinand, to everyone’s shock and confusion, was for some reason unable to immediately reply.

Dorothea then instead chimed in. “Of course Edelgard. I have agreements from Brigid prepared with me. They are happy to form these new formal diplomatic ties.”

Edelgard glanced at Ferdinand but did not press him further.

Ferdinand had indeed been something almost like shock for a few moments, and feeling that was now only pushed aside by the immense amount of shame and embarrassment that he now felt. His hands clenched in his lap as the realisation dawned on him.

Edelgard was still not wearing her gloves. It was such a small and trivial thing, but Ferdinand could not keep his face from flushing at the thought. In this moment it was impossible for him to untangle the incredibly rare sight of Edelgard’s hands with the memory of her threading her fingers through his hair the night before.

Ferdinand was hardly able to pay attention after that. Dorothea taking the initiative in making several notes for Ferdinand to review later. It was almost like they were back in the academy. Almost, just a little bit.

Dorothea fully understood, as she too had been surprised when Edelgard had made the choice, but it didn’t make Ferdinand and Hubert’s reactions any less entertaining to her.

The meeting then concluded as promptly as was promised. Lorenz, despite his insistence on speed and efficiency had to be all but dragged from the room by Lysithea. Hanneman also departed after some brief discussions with Edelgard. Manuela and Fléche following quickly after.

Ferdinand was still in a daze that he was only broken from by a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Ferdinand,” Dorothea said rather firmly. “I would like to speak with you. Alone, in your office would be most appropriate I think.”

Ferdinand glanced to her, his eyes wide as he nodded slowly. He pushed himself from the table, gave a quick farewell to Edelgard before all but scrambling from the Council room with Dorothea close behind.

On the way towards the Prime Minister’s office, Ferdinand spoke up again. “Dorothea, if we must discuss things in private, there are other locations we can use besides my office.”

Dorothea gave him a curious look. “I am actually wanting to discuss politics with you Ferdie, as boring as that may be.”

Ferdinand’s face flushed and he shook his head. “No I simply mean—” he paused. “I am only just getting settled into my office it is rather in…disarray.”

Dorothea shrugged. “I don’t mind a bit of a mess. I wouldn’t mind helping you clean up either if that’s what’s bothering you.”

Ferdinand didn’t meet her eyes even as he muttered a word of gratitude.

The two of them arrived at the door of the Prime minister’s office, Ferdinand opening the door for both of them.

As soon as her eyes fell upon the office before her, she completely understood Ferdie’s hesitation. It was not simply “in disarray”, the office looked like it had been ransacked. Ferdinand stood at the doorway, his head hanging in shame. Dorothea said nothing and walked ahead of him.

Ferdinand grimaced. “I know, it’s utterly shameful isn’t it, I deeply—” but when he looked up, he saw that Dorothea had already walked right over to his desk and had begun to pick up discarded papers. “Wait—” he began, rushing forward, suddenly remembering all the sensitive information that was still exposed.

“It’s okay Ferdie. I’m your friend, I’m here to help you.”

Ferdinand went behind his desk and quickly gathered up the most sensitive files. He did not enjoy hiding anything from Dorothea, but it would be up to Edelgard to share this information, not him.

Ferdinand then began to move to help Dorothea when she stopped him with a look. “Ferdinand, you clearly are still unwell. Just let me take care of this. You sit back, and tell me where things need to go.”

While Ferdinand initially resisted the idea, he found himself following her orders and sitting down in his desk chair. Keeping up a cheerful countenance the whole morning had frankly been exhausting.

While Dorothea got to work, Ferdinand spoke up. “You said that you did actually have something to discuss with me?” He ventured, his head resting in his hands.

“Yes of course, but not now. I have a whole pile of trade agreements for you, but we have the rest of the week to deal with that.”

“I see,” he replied with a sigh. He should have expected as much. Dorothea not only knew how to see through him, but also how to get what she wanted from him rather easily. “I just have so much to do, Dorothea. I have no clue how my father, or any of my ancestors for that matter handled being both Prime Minister, and the head of such a convoluted territory as the Duchy of Aegir,” he groaned rubbing his temples. “And Hrym….oh goddess, Hrym.”

Dorothea pressed her lips together, standing up with a stack of documents to place on his desk. “Thank you,” Ferdinand said before she moved back to start putting books back on shelves.

Ferdinand continued. “I am leaving Aegir territory to the minor lords and to the oversight of the Bergliez forces for the moment. I think that I will have to appoint someone else to manage the Duchy in my stead.”

Dorothea let out an amused huff. “I am surprised, Ferdie. That you would just hand off your territory like that,” she mused.

Ferdinand let out a grunt. “I have no choice but to do so, Dorothea.”

“You could have chosen to helm your territory and leave the premiership to someone else of Edelgard’s appointment.” Dorothea said, glancing over towards Ferdinand to see how he reacted.

“Do not be preposterous, Dorothea. There is no way that I could abandon my duty here in the capital.”

“Your….’Duty’, huh. Is that what you’re calling it.”

Ferdinand let out a rather unconvincing scoff. “Now, what exactly are you implying Dorothea?”

Dorothea rolled her eyes. Not about to bully Ferdinand about his feelings for Edelgard while he was in such a state. As entertaining as he was to fluster, there were limits. 

Ferdinand let his shoulders slump. Everything was swirling in his head. The countless tasks left yet to complete, not to mention his absolutely humiliating performance in the meeting this morning. As loathe as he was to admit it, Dorothea was right, and he was in no state to be attempting work that day. He still needed time to process everything.

Dorothea finished her cleaning while Ferdinand was still lost in thought. He didn’t notice her, even as she stood up and strode over to his desk. With a sudden movement, Dorothea pushed the documents on Ferdinand’s desk to one side. She then pulled herself up and sat there right in front of him. Ferdinand blinked, looking up at her, his face displaying complete confusion.

His mouth opened and then closed again before Ferdinand finally found the words.“If you wish to speak with me—I have a tea table right over there.”

Dorothea frowned at him. “And what, let you keep avoiding even looking at me while we flounder about in cordial small talk? You should know by now how much I dislike that particular kind of theatre.”

“Ah yes, of course, forgive me.”

Dorothea sighed. “I need you to be honest with me Ferdie. You need not tell me all the details, but I need you to talk to me as myself. Not as the acting ambassador to Brigid, nor as the former Adrestian military general. It’s just me.”

Ferdinand met her eyes, his face rather blank as he let himself just be lost in her gaze for a few moments. For years, Ferdinand had worked to improve his standing in Dorothea’s eyes; to prove to her that he wasn’t some shallow noble who only cared for her looks. For years, he had fought for her to see him as he truly was; but now at this moment; her clear-eyed gaze felt more like the ice-cold blade of judgment.

He couldn’t hide anything from her, not anymore.

Ferdinand let out a tense breath before continuing. “There are things that I cannot tell you. They are things that must be told to you from the source.”

“About Edie? I figured that much out myself. I get the feeling that something terrible happened to her,” Dorothea said, pausing to ponder. “And it sounds like your father must have had something to do with it.”

Ferdinand nodded. “I knew he wasn’t a good man, but he was still my father and I—”

Dorothea began threading her fingers through Ferdinand’s hair. One hand resting to massage at the base of his scalp. Her calming affections helped him find the strength to continue.

“Last night…After I found out, Hubert came to find me. He brought with him an invitation to tea from Edelgard, which I initially refused. When I sent Hubert to deliver my refusal, I honestly did not expect him to return, but…” Ferdinand paused, his lips turning up into a soft smile. “Hubert did return, with Edelgard.” Ferdinand’s face flushed at the memory, his face dipping forward to hide against Dorothea’s shoulder. “I was…frankly overwhelmed. I was so incredibly touched but also—” Ferdinand grimaced. “But in the end…I did end up in the position to comfort her. And so some of my guilt was abated.”

Dorothea nodded, letting out a thoughtful hum. “It’s okay for you to feel these things Ferdie. Even if it means taking a break.”

Ferdinand shook his head. “No I mustn’t—as the acting Prime Minister I—”

“You what? You have to work yourself into the ground rather than suffer the indignity of needing to rest for a moment?”

Ferdinand did not meet her eyes, his hands clenching into fists in his lap.

Dorothea lets out another sigh. She could not help but see the similarities to how Edelgard had acted that morning. The two of them were so similar in that one dangerous way; they needed support and were liable to collapse on their own.

Dorothea leans forward, resting her forehead against his. “Just relax, dear Ferdie. I am here until the festival.”

Ferdinand let out a soft sound that was close to a whimper. Even if he wanted to protest, he no longer seemed able to. “Until the festival…” he mused. It would be difficult having to say goodbye to her again. After being together so constantly for the past 6 years; even the scarcely two-week absence had been difficult. But, certainly, Ferdinand thought that his pain could not even hope to compare with Dorothea’s feelings about being relocated to an entirely new country.

Ferdinand had at last returned to a relaxed state. His hands lifted, trembling from his lap to rest on Dorothea’s lap and cling to her skirt. With a sigh he leans in, pressing his face against her chest and feeling her arms wrap tightly around him.

He was prepared to just rest there, her familiar scent lulling him into a feeling of security. He was ready to just let it go, waste the rest of the day away in her arms.

But just as the comfort started to sink in, the spell was broken by a sharp knock on the door.


	5. Chapter 5

Ferdinand goes completely stiff at the sound of someone knocking at the door. Dorothea turns around while still doing her best to soothe Ferdinand with her hands.

“Who is it? We are in the middle of a private meeting at the moment.” Dorothea called.

“It’s me, Edelgard. Dorothea, you and I still have some more things to discuss,” Edelgard then turned the knob and let herself in before Ferdinand could so much as react.

Edelgard paused, taking in the scene. The Prime Minister’s desk was directly across from the door, and so all that Edelgard could see was Dorothea sitting on it with her back facing the door. She could however, see Ferdinand’s boots just visible under the desk.

Edelgard cleared her throat. “Forgive me, Ferdinand. I can come back another time if—”

“There is no need!” Ferdinand sputtered, standing up quickly from his desk and skittering over to meet Edelgard by his tea table. “I was actually just insisting that Dorothea simply move to sit down at this very table,” he said, gesturing to chair closest to where Edelgard was. “If you would like to sit down. You two can have your discussions while I procure some tea.”

Edelgard let out a small amused smile before sitting down as he insisted.

As flustered as Ferdinand was, there was nothing about his or Dorothea’s clothes that indicated that they had been up to anything particularly scandalous. There was no need to worry, and yet—

Dorothea hopped off the desk and stood there next to it with her hand resting on the finished surface. “Don’t worry about the tea, Ferdie. We just have to work out some more festival plan logistics, right?”

Edelgard nodded. Ferdinand still stood there by one of the tea table chairs, not seeming to quite know what to do with himself. Edelgard continued. “That, and I have some more things that I wish to share with you,” she said, her eyes flicking down as she flexed her hands nervously.

Edelgard turned to address Ferdinand briefly. “Hubert, it seems, has business that will keep him from the Palace until very late tonight. He may not even return until morning.”

“Ah, I see.” Ferdinand’s expression is uncharacteristically cold, which Dorothea and Edelgard take note of.

Edelgard turned towards Dorothea. “Accordingly, Dorothea, I would like to formally schedule the festival meeting for tomorrow after lunch.”

“Who else will be able to attend?”

“Manuela, Fléche, Lysithea and Mercedes are those who I have requested to join us.”

“Sounds wonderful Edie. I will be there right on time.”

Edelgard nodded. That seemed to be the only real information she needed to convey about that situation. And so, Ferdinand wondered what the other errand could be. “You said there was more that you wished to tell Dorothea? If it is private I will gladly escort myself out.”

Edelgard let out a slightly frustrated sigh before continuing. “Ferdinand,” Edelgard said firmly, meeting his eyes. “Do you still have the documents that you perused yesterday?”

“Yes, of course. Do you wish to dispose of them after all?”

Edelgard shook her head. “I would like Dorothea to see them as well.”

Ferdinand bit his lip. “Are you sure about this, Edelgard?”

“Yes, I am sure.” Edelgard paused, her eyes falling shut for a few moments. It was something that every single time she recalled it, it seemed to grow no less painful. Where time is meant to hold all wounds, this one seems to only fester more with age. “It does not sit well with me, to keep secrets from those closest to me when it is unnecessary.”

Ferdinand did not seem satisfied by that, glancing nervously between Dorothea and Edelgard.

Edelgard then opened her eyes and looked straight at Ferdinand. “Also I do not want to force you, Ferdinand, to keep secrets from your loved ones as well, not for my sake.”

Ferdinand’s expression shifted to one of mild surprise, not knowing immediately how to respond. Even so, Edelgard was right. Ferdinand wasn’t sure how he felt about Edelgard taking this risk partially for his sake, but he was not about to continue to try and stop her.

Ferdinand nodded, turning swiftly back towards his desk. Dorothea moved closer to him and watched as he took the documents out of the drawer he had stuffed them into. Ferdinand showed to her the birth registry of Edelgard’s siblings, and the abstract proposal for the crest of flames experiment.

“Edie…this is—” Her face went pale as she processed all the information. Dorothea was clearly affected, but she was far more hardened to the horrors of the world than Ferdinand would ever be. “10 siblings…10 of them—”

“All gone,” Edelgard said. “All to make me an heir worthy of that cursed imperial throne.” She scoffed.

Dorothea let out a long sigh, running her fingers over the names. “Edie, I know it’s painful to talk of them but…I would love to hear more about your siblings, someday,” she paused. “It’s terrible to think that all is left of them is—”

_‘Dark of hair, crest absent’_

Dorothea glared down at the birth records, almost as if they might reveal more to her with deeper examination. Her eyes then went to where Ferdinand’s hand was still placed on the desk, very purposely covering up some more documents. Dorothea wormed her fingers under his gloved hand, leaning her shoulder into his to get him off his balance.

“Dorothea?!” He exclaimed, taking a moment to notice what she was doing.

Dorothea was successful in getting the documents from him, taking them into her hands. Dorothea remained silent as she read.

Ferdinand’s face fell, and he reached out a hand to comfort her. “Dorothea, are you alright?”

“I’m fine Ferdie.” Dorothea all but snapped. Even though Ferdie knew she was lying, he also knew that this tone and posture meant that she was not to be touched. And so, Ferdinand complied, forcing himself to turn away from her, though it deeply pained him to do so.

Ferdinand reluctantly left the desk, letting Dorothea read all else that she wished. He then sat down at the tea-table, leaving the chair closest to Dorothea open for her.

Dorothea let out a grunt, slapping the papers down in frustration. “The has to be more about them, right? Even just for yourself. There has to be more than can be remembered than just how they died!”

Edelgard let out a tense breath, forcing her shoulders to relax. “I was still very young. My memories of my siblings at this point are swiftly approaching vague blurs. I hardly even remembered my childhood with Hubert let alone with some of my own family.”

Ferdinand tapped one finger in his lap. “Did any of your siblings keep any diaries? Or did they have any hobbies that might have left evidence?”

Edelgard’s expression shifted, from despair to acute focus. “Yes…I think so,” she pondered. “One of the middle brothers, Leberecht. He loved histories, I think he even wanted to be a chronicler someday.” Edelgard’s brows knit together, her hands eventually falling back into her lap. “Adelbert, Lutgard and Ortrun. The eldest three. They all attended the officers Academy. I know they kept records of their time there.”

Ferdinand nods. ”There also would be documentation left at the monastery...if it survived.” he said, somewhat awkwardly.

Edelgard, however, did not react, her face remaining firm as she pondered. “Unfortunately, I think that Hubert would know more than I. He was our servant and so was required to know about all of his lieges.” She paused. “However, anything that my siblings and I owned would still be sealed in the imperial villa.”

Dorothea and Ferdinand blinked in surprise. Sharing a brief glance as they seemed to have the same thought. They had both wondered why Edelgard had insisted in staying in the Palace with the ministers. But now after learning of her horrific past, the reasoning seemed beyond obvious.

Dorothea began to walk towards them, taking her seat at the tea-table along with them. “Are you sure that…no one has entered there?” Dorothea asked, leaning towards Edelgard where she sat.

Edelgard pressed her lips together.“Almost certain. After the insurrection, my father was held here in the palace. Effectively on house arrest. All of his concubines were exiled while his children were taken from him.”

“Edie,” Dorothea began, leaning back in her chair. “Are you really okay with that place just keeping everything locked away forever?” she asked. “There must be plenty of things. Their favourite clothes, precious gifts; portraits and letters and diaries,” she mused. “I understand that you don’t want to go back there. Honestly, it must be hard enough being back in this palace.” She said, her eyes cast down briefly. “But you could get someone else to do it. Make sure that nothing gets lost.”

Ferdinand’s face lit up at the suggestion, his posture straightening. “That is a fantastic idea, Dorothea!” He then quickly turned back to Edelgard. “Of course only if you would permit it, Edelgard.”

Edelgard let out a warm chuckle, meeting Ferdinand’s gaze with a look of deep affection. “I can already tell that you want to volunteer for this task. Correct?”

Ferdinand gave a cheeky grin, scratching the side of his face.

Edelgard let out a sigh. “As I said, I do not even know for sure what might be in there. You will have to ask Hubert for help. If he agrees then I will permit it.”

Ferdinand was slightly confused by her stipulation but decided to pay it no mind and nodded in agreement.

“In any case, it would be my honour to preserve your siblings’ legacy, Edelgard,” he said, placing one hand on his chest in deep sincerity.

Edelgard then reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small gold object. “One of these keys is required for entry to the Villa. Admittedly not all of the keys are accounted for, but, this one belonged to my father,” she said, turning it over in her hand. “One of the few others belonged to Marquis Vestra, which he entrusted to Hubert.” The object glinted in the light, and leaning closer, Ferdinand and Dorothea could see a small crest of Seiros emblazoned upon it.  
  
Edelgard then reached out her hand, giving her own personal key to Dorothea. Dorothea held out her hand and took it with a small look of surprise on her face. “Oh...Edie—”  
  
”I trust you with it, Dorothea,” she turned to Ferdinand. “Again, I will insist that you access the Villa along with Hubert. I think the two of you can find the time tomorrow.”  
  
Ferdinand nodded, although he frowns once again. “Yes of course.” He did not question her reasons anymore, as it seemed clearly important to her. And Ferdinand, of course, would take any opportunity to spent more time with Hubert.

Edelgard’s face then finally melted into a small smile. “I do thank you. I can’t express how grateful I am that you would do this for me.” Dorothea and Ferdinand both could not help from smiling themselves, seeing Edelgard relax even a little bit. Edelgard then, however, stood up from her seat suddenly. “Now that I have said all that I needed, I can let you two return to your...meeting.”

Ferdinand’s face burst again into a brilliant blush, and Dorothea’s laughter rang out in her clear melody.

Alone again, the two of them let out a joint relieved sigh.

“Ferdie,” Dorothea says gently. “What do you say we get ourselves out of this stuffy office?”

Ferdinand glances to her. “I dare say that I would be overjoyed to,” he says, standing up and offering her his hand.

—

With the most pressing deeds of the day now done, the two of them decided to part ways for the time being and then meet again for dinner. Ferdinand, would not dare to break such a promise, and so Dorothea knew she could count on it. Even as she knew it would be fruitless to make him take the whole afternoon off, she was still glad if he could concede an evening to her..

Dorothea had taken the first opportunity to leave this city behind. In all honesty, the darkness that lingered here was a bit too much for her. Already she could feel herself missing Brigid, if not just longing for the warm weather. Even so, her family was here.

Dorothea checks herself in the mirror one last time, putting the final touches on her light make up. Her rich brown curls looked as effortless as usual, her lips looking striking even without any lipstick. There was no point, as she was going to dinner, and then after that spend the evening with Ferdinand, wherever that may lead them. She pulls her hair into a low ponytail, letting it rest over the collar of her open-necked blouse. No gowns, no heavy adornments; only a cream-coloured shirt tucked into high waisted pants, which were then in turn tucked into lace-up boots.

Dorothea then makes her way to the meeting spot. A covered balcony on the southern side of the palace overlooking the grounds. She arrives, standing there in the doorway, savouring the moment just before he notices her presence. He is seated at a candle-lit table near the railing, tea and a light dinner set out for the two of them.

Ferdinand still appears tense. His hands rest on the table on the very verge of balling into fists, his shoulders stiff as he looks out across the balcony. Seeing where his eyes are locked, on that towering, shadowy villa, Dorothea wonders why he chose this location in specific. The function was clear, but the reasoning was now.

“Good evening, Ferdie,” Dorothea says, leaning against the doorframe.

Ferdinand starts slightly and then turns to greet her. “Ah! Dorothea,” he makes to stand up but Dorothea waves a hand to keep him seated.

She walks over and takes her place across from him, meeting his sheepish smile with her own warm one. Ferdinand them promptly begins pouring the tea, and Dorothea continues to observe him.

“You don’t have to put on airs for me, Ferdie,” she says softly while accepting the teacup with a nod of thanks.

“Whatever do you mean?” he asks while nearly fumbling his own teacup.

“Just because this is meant to be a break for us, doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be relaxed.”

Ferdinand lets out a heavy sigh, gripping the handle of his teacup rather tightly. “I understand, Dorothea. But for the moment, I still wish to make the effort to give you pleasant company.”

Dorothea brings the teacup to her lips, taking a slow sip. Dorothea in all honesty was also still quite shaken. Ferdinand likely feels similarly to how Dorothea does, a deep desire to help Edelgard, while knowing that it will not be so easy.

“Ferdinand,” she begins, setting her teacup down. “What happened this morning after Edelgard and I left?”

Ferdinand’s hands clasp around his teacup and he forces himself to set it down. “Ah, nothing. Hubert simply—” he cuts himself off.

Dorothea’s lips press into a worried frown. “Hubie…” Dorothea ponders to herself. The contentious relationship the two had shared; she had thought it largely behind them. As the two found their places as Edelgard’s left and right hands; so too had they found a way to understand one another. But considering how Ferdinand had arrived to the meeting alone this morning, Dorothea could sense that something was amiss. “If you don't want to talk about it, I will not force you.”

“Ah, that is not it. Hubert was…out of sorts this morning,” he says before giving Dorothea a brief summary, his voice faltering all the while he recounted it. The fact that Ferdinand could repeat such an anecdote without dissolving into sputters showed how much it had actually affected him.

“I wonder if Hubert really does have ‘urgent business’,” Dorothea muses.

“I am sure that he does,” Ferdinand says with a shrug. Dorothea however is not convinced.

“Well, Ferdie. I think the first thing you should do the next time you meet is demand an apology from Hubie.”

Ferdinand, does in fact sputter this time. “I beg your pardon?”

“Hubie was out of line, and you should make sure he realises that.”

“You are correct about that,” Ferdinand sighs, forcing his hands away from his teacup at long last.

“Are you still going to talk to him tomorrow?” she asks. “To go to the villa, I mean.”

Ferdinand nods. “Yes. I shall, and I presume that our duty shall come first.”

Dorothea presses her lips together briefly. “That’s what it always is with you too, duty above all else, huh?” she says, placing her tea to the side and decided to start on her food finally.

“Dorothea?”

Ferdinand was already burdening himself with so much. The premiership, foreign relations, restoration of the hrym region; and now this excursion into the imperial villa? Dorothea cannot say that she approves, although she simply does not have the time to spare to help them either.

Dorothea had not been able to spend much time with Hubert since her return, but the impression she had was not a good one. He seemed somehow even more frail, even more stretched thin than before. And perhaps it is merely a side effect of the two of them having spent so much time together now, but she is starting to see the same oppressive parlour blanket Ferdinand as well.

Dorothea struggles to have confidence in herself, as contradictory as that might seem. But she has confidence in this. She knows Ferdinand, she loves him, and she knows what he needs.

“I know it will be pointless to try and stop you,” she continues after finally finishing enough of her food to be satisfied. “So I won’t,” she says with a sigh, meeting his eyes as he clears his place setting in turn. “But you should still get him to apologise.”

Ferdinand’s lips press together briefly. “If I cannot tomorrow—”

Dorothea gives him a sympathetic smile. “You can try whenever the moment is most suited. But it must happen. Ferdinand,” she reaches out to take a gentle hold of one of his hands. Causing him to stop and look up at her. “You were shaking. You were clearly hurt. Even if it seems trivial. If Hubert is your friend at all, he will want to make up for that hurt.”

Ferdinand’s gaze falters and he looks down again. “I thank you for your concern and insight, Dorothea.”

“You are welcome as always,” she replies. “Now, onto the rest of our evening plans?”

Ferdinand meets her gaze again finally, his expression showing signs of some of those dark clouds perhaps finally lifting.


	6. 6. Lengthening Shadows

The next day, Ferdinand was able to proceed nearly as normal. His smile was not as forced and his gait lively. With something to focus on, a way to channel his despair, Ferdinand was back to his usual self. The only difference being that the collar of his shirt was tied even higher and tighter with his cravat than usual.

After going through his morning meetings, Ferdinand made his way to a small secluded office where he was told Hubert had set up after returning that morning. With a quick knock on the door, Ferdinand let himself inside.

Hubert was sitting behind the desk, completely absorbed in his letter, and accordingly, Ferdinand did his best not to interrupt him. Ferdinand waited by the door, hands behind his back as he tried to occupy himself while waiting.

The scratching of Hubert’s quill then came to an abrupt halt. “You are honestly far more distracting when you are obviously attempting to not be a nuisance,” Hubert said, his amber eyes flicking up from his letter in Ferdinand’s direction. “You have been after my location all morning. I trust you have pressing business with me.”

”Yes, as a matter of fact, I do,” Ferdinand said, walking over to Hubert’s desk. Hubert pushed himself up and walked over to stand next to him in front of the desk, still keeping a respectable distance apart from one another.

Ferdinand leaned against the desk. Crossing his arms he let out a short breath before speaking. “Edelgard shared more information with me about her siblings. She informed Dorothea as well,” Ferdinand paused, glancing at Hubert as he continued. “She mentioned that her and her siblings' childhood belongings have been sealed within the villa all this time. And she gave me permission to collect them on her behalf.” Ferdinand tilted his head to the side briefly. “Well, specifically. She gave her personal key to Dorothea and then requested that I seek your collaboration, permission, and the use of your personal key. ” Ferdinand set his eyes on Hubert’s face who was still not looking at him.

Hubert’s hands had begun to tremble slightly at his sides, closing into fists. “Hubert?”

Hubert let out a grimace, turning his face away in an effort to conceal whatever emotion was threatening to overflow.

“Hubert,” Ferdinand said firmly. “You do not have to agree if you do not wish to. Edelgard expressly stated that I must have your permission, and of course, I would never dream of defying her or you.”

Hubert’s gaze met Ferdinand’s, his lips parting into the smallest grimace. “I will go with you,” his assent came out in a low hiss, this doing very little to ease Ferdinand’s concern.

Ferdinand frowns. “Hubert, I can tell that you are experiencing some kind of emotional distress,” his lips press into a firm line. “Judging by the fact that you are still acting quite unlike yourself, in addition to your most uncharacteristic behaviour yesterday morning.”

Hubert’s lips quirk into a small smirk. “Indeed, you have seen right through me,” he forces his shoulders to straighten and meets Ferdinand’s gaze with a somewhat distant stare. “Regardless. Edelgard has wished for me to accompany you, and so I shall.”

“Hubert,” Ferdinand continues to frown. “That is not it. She has allowed you to make the decision on this matter.”

“And indeed I have,” he pushes himself away from the desk and makes for the office door. “I can always perform this task on my own,” he says, pausing for only a moment at the door.

“Now that, I will not allow,” Ferdinand grumbles as he strides after him, the two of them swiftly making their way from the Palace.

—

The two of them made their preparations. Clearing their afternoon schedule and procuring two leather bags. Ferdinand followed Hubert’s lead the whole time, keeping a wary eye as Hubert was clearly still ignoring his own rather precarious physical condition.

They left the palace, taking a winding stone path to the abandoned villa. It was not inconspicuous by any means, but a lavish and quite obvious estate. but somehow, Edelgard’s very clear and obvious effort to ignore its existence had somehow made it a blind spot for those around her. Ferdinand himself, despite having spent much of his childhood near the palace, had never truly looked upon the villa until now.

It was far newer than the palace, but still incredibly old. It was aged but not worn down. The past 15 years of abandonment did little to affect a building that had stood for centuries before any of them had even been born.

They approached in its shadow, the sky above pale overcast, leafless branches swaying in the quickening breeze. Standing on the doorstep, Hubert took the key from his pocket, first offering it to Ferdinand who took it; After opening the grand wooden doors, they stepped inside. Hubert stepped forward, a flame igniting in the palm of his hand as he moved to light the sconces in their path. The high windows allowed a pale light from the overcast sky to blanket the abandoned interior, which was slowly warmed bit by bit from Hubert’s flame.

Just beyond the doors was a large entrance hall, to either side were sitting rooms, a dining hall and many other chambers. He glanced around before starting forward through the large entryway. Ferdinand quickly followed after him.

“We can recover the family portraits at the very end. Some of them are…rather unwieldy,” Hubert said, Leading Ferdinand to the right, towards the front sitting room.Ferdinand increased his pace moving to inspect the portraits even before Hubert finished lighting all of the lanterns in the room.

There it was, a grand oil painting of all 11 of them.

“That portrait,” Hubert began, appearing suddenly at Ferdinand’s elbow. “Was commissioned in the final months of 1170,” his voice floated over Ferdinand’s shoulder as they both stared at the painting.

Ferdinand gazed over each face, trying to commit each one of them to memory. Their resemblances were strong, despite many of them having different mothers. This being helped by their matching and similar hairstyles. Nearly all of them had violet ribbons in their hair in some fashion.

Hubert continued. “Although Edelgard was my charge, as she alone bore the crest of Seiros and was to be the next emperor—I was at least amicable with all of her siblings.” Hubert cleared his throat. “Adelbert attended the Officers' Academy the year before this portrait. Lutgard And Ortrun had just enrolled and were planning to attend that next spring.”

Ferdinand’s eyes moved to the two young women standing next to Adelbert in the painting.

Hubert nodded. “In our search, we will first we will be heading to the east wing where their rooms are. Ortrun, I know for a fact kept a very detailed account of her time at Garreg Mach. Adelbert likely did as well.”

“Do you know if there are any other portraits of the siblings?” Ferdinand.

“That one was the only one commissioned of all of them together,” he said, reaching towards the mantle to where a leather-bound book sat. He took it into his hands and opened the pages. Ferdinand peeked over and saw that it was an album, showing the siblings at various stages of their life. “We can take this with us today. Additionally, I know that Lutgard and a few others took to sketching. Those are among the things we will endeavour to collect.” Hubert placed the album in his satchel and then turned sharply and began walking out of the sitting room. Ferdinand hastened to go after him, following Hubert to the gilded central staircase.

They crested the stairs and headed to the east wing, Hubert lighting each sconce with his magic as they progressed. Piece by piece the hallway was illuminated. “Lord Adelbert, as the eldest, kept his room at the far end. The Bay Window room, as it was referred to.”

“I suppose then primogeniture still has its benefits in some ways…” Ferdinand mused, his eyes falling over the cob-web littered doorways that they passed.

They then arrived at the far end of the hallway. The door to the Bay Window suite before them.

Ferdinand waited a few moments. “Shall I? Hubert?”

Hubert gave a minute nod and Ferdinand obliged.

Another cloud of dust met them, as well as the pale light through the distant windows. It was not a very creative name for the room, as indeed there was a large bay window directly in front of them, but it was quite striking. The entire palace garden was visible through the window.

“Shall we?” Ferdinand asked, gripping Hubert’s hand encouragingly.

Hubert nodded before walking forward. While Hubert has been tense since Ferdinand mentioned this endeavour to him, he became even more visibly on edge once they crossed the threshold of Adelbert’s suite.

Ferdinand gazed at Hubert, taking in his posture and expression carefully. “Hubert. If you do not wish to check Adelbert’s room, I can do it in your stead.”

Hubert did not look at him. “Do as you please,” he replied. Clearly unwilling to express any more of his feelings at that moment. Ferdinand took one of the lanterns from the wall and held it out to Hubert to light it. Ferdinand gave one last glance at Hubert’s face, illuminated by the flickering flames before turning back towards the bedroom.

Ferdinand entered, leaving the door cracked slightly behind him. He placed the lantern down carefully on a clear surface and got to work. There in the bedside table, gratefully Ferdinand found the first of what he was looking for, a diary. He opened it and scanned the dates to confirm that it covered the few years around Adelbert’s attendance of the officer’s academy. For the moment he did not read further and placed it in his leather bag.

In the closet Ferdinand also found Adelbert’s old House Leader uniform. Like Edelgard’s, instead of the standard lapels, there was gold design across the chest with a brilliant red cape on the shoulder with the House Leader’s insignia holding it in place. Next to the uniform, he expected to find the academy’s standard ceremonial rapier, but instead found an elaborate sword belt complete with a very striking empty sheath.

The designs on the sword sheath were unfamiliar to him, not appearing to be of common Imperial design. He turned around, walking towards the decorative weapon rack that stood in the corner farthest from the window. Holding the sheath in one hand, he looked for a sword with a similar design.

It took him a few minutes, but Ferdinand found in Adelbert’s room the matching sheathes to all the few swords, and some wraps and straps to bundle them up for easy transport. Ferdinand let out a sigh, glancing one last time over the room before deciding to leave. He did not want to linger any longer than completely necessary. Especially since they still had many rooms to go through. Ferdinand swung the bundle of swords over his shoulder and exited the room.

Hubert was already waiting for him back by the door, Ferdinand met his eyes and walked towards him. Hubert not waiting to start leaving as quickly as he could. Ferdinand could not fault him, Hubert’s discomfort clear on his face. Once they were out of the suite, Hubert managed to speak up.

“Do you intend to collect every weapon left behind here? If so you may find yourself too overburdened to even leave.”

Ferdinand let out a dry laugh. “Not every single one on this trip but, these swords piqued my interest and so I felt it a disservice to simply leave them to rust.”

If Hubert were in a better state, he would probably aim a jab about Ferdinand’s weapon collecting hobby, but he had no such urge. All that was in his mind was the act of placing one foot in front of the other until the two of them arrived at the next suite over.

“This is the Arbor Arch suite,” he said. “Both Lutgard and Ortrun lived here.” Hubert did not waste any time and pushed inside with Ferdinand right on his heels.

The room was not much different than the first one, somewhat more subdued in its decor than their brother’s. There was a spacious lounge area with moth-eaten curtains and lounge furniture. Hubert once again seemed rather negatively affected by their memory, and so Ferdinand volunteered again for the dirty work.

Leaving the weapons with Hubert, Ferdinand took Hubert’s additional satchel and entered the bedroom. It was large with two separate beds and sets of furniture. Despite them being twins, he saw stark differences between them. It was fascinating how their personality quirks still remained, even so many years after their deaths.

Ortrun was tidy and minimalistic. Her desk was clear and her bedsheets were neatly tucked in at the corners. Examining her desk closely, she seemed to be academic and kept lots of lists and records. Lutgard, by comparison, seemed more fanciful, and at first glance, many of her writings appeared to be fiction.Her clothing and bedspread were vibrant colours and her desk was covered in cups of pens and rolls of parchment.

Lutgard’s desk was also full of rather skilful drawings and sketches. He gathered as many as he could find, which was thankfully as easy as all of the drawings were meticulously labelled and dated. Both of them had also kept diaries of their time at Garreg Mach. Some traits seemed to be shared between the twins as it would appear.

He noticed their shared vanity and moved towards it. There was a wooden jewellery box and some containers of make-up. He also found some purple hair ribbons, quite like the ones that Edelgard had worn during her school days. Quite like the hair ribbon that Edelgard had given him many years back.

His hand went to tug on the hair ribbon in his own hair absentmindedly. Thinking back to when she had given it to him. A couple of years into the war, when Ferdinand’s hair had started to become unruly, she had surprised him with it one day. Although he did not wear it often, he still treasures it.

He collected everything of value, the jewellery, papers and notebooks as well as the hair ribbons. He found also a…frankly astonishing number of knives under Ortrun’s bed, as well as some fletching supplies and a magic staff. He places the majority of it in Hubert’s bag, as well as all of the knives he could fit.

Like their brother, there were officer academy uniforms in the closet. One was another House Leader uniform; similar to Edelgard’s in cut but with a longer jacket and skirt. The other, bore a matching red collar and a custom jabot with several additional sheathed daggers. Like with their brother, Ferdinand collected the personal items and insignias, leaving their haunting uniforms with their other musty clothing.

Ferdinand could not afford to linger, they still had many more rooms yet to parse through. Once again, however, Hubert was simply standing stock still in the main room, his face carefully blank, and his hands folded behind his back. Hubert began to walk away again before Ferdinand could approach.

“The last room of interest in this wing is of the male middle triplets,” he said.

Ferdinand had to jog slightly to catch up with him. Hubert now taking a brisk pace into the third bedroom, opening it before Ferdinand could even reach him. Ferdinand walked inside, his eyes lingering on Hubert before he just headed to the bedroom.

“Lord Leberecht’s bed is on the window-side of the room,” Hubert stated as Ferdinand placed his hand on the bedroom doorknob. “He, like Ortrun was academically minded. He was the most serious of his three brothers, and—” Hubert paused. “One of the closest to Lady Edelgard.”

“I understand, Hubert. I will be swift.”

The more that they lingered in this mansion filled with ghosts, the closer Hubert came to feeling like a ghost himself.

The room was split into three sections. Three beds, three desks and three dressers. As Hubert had suggested, Ferdinand went to Leberecht’s desk which was frankly, somewhat overflowing with papers. Scribbles of crests and magic diagrams that Ferdinand could not help but see as familiar. He had in fact spent enough time listening to Linhardt’s ramblings to be able to discern that much of it was not of high import. Perhaps on a later date, they could preserve everything, but Ferdinand needed to focus. He found in the desk drawers a personal logbook and what appeared to be a research notebook. He took both and stowed them away.

It was the same; notebooks, heirlooms; notable weapons; drawings. Ferdinand moved through Gerhard’s belongings, and then to Reimund’s. The desk and bed by the far wall were the neatest of the three. A small smile lingered on Ferdinand’s face as he collected the sketches, placing them all into the notebook that seemed to have more drawings and designs.

After collecting everything, Ferdinand returned to the sitting room. Hubert was standing by the largest window at the centre of the room, his hands at his back as he gazed out once again. Ferdinand approached slowly from behind, setting his bag down, hoping to make enough noise to avoid surprising him.

Ferdinand let out a sigh. “It is alright to feel. I imagine that you have simply not allowed yourself to grieve all these years.”

Hubert let out a shuddering breath. Ferdinand’s words bore much truth. Hubert, despite the horrors he himself had endured in Edelgard’s absence, had resolved to push all of that aside for the sake of his beloved Edelgard.

“Just a little further,” Ferdinand said softly. “I thank you for bearing this with me.”

“We only have two rooms remaining, in the east wing,” Hubert said.

“How about we go to the room that is closest next? Who’s would that be.”

“Brünhild and...Jördis.”

“Jördis?” Ferdinand could have sworn that he remembered a Jörgen from the birth record, but thought no more on it. “And then...?”

“Lady Edelgard...had her own room, but often stayed with Sieglinde and Heidirun.”

Ferdinand only nodded curtly in reply.

While they were by now, rather overburdened by their findings, they continued. Out of the Camellia Suite and back across the central staircase. But after a few paces, Ferdinand noticed that Hubert was not following him. He paused and turned around, the heavy bundle of weapons he carried falling to the ground with a clatter.

“Hubert?!” Ferdinand exclaimed, rushing forward without a moment’s hesitation. “Hubert—Hubert!” Ferdinand called, at a near loss at what to do.

Hubert’s eyes were wide, deep horror stretching his face taut. Ferdinand had never known Hubert to be able to feel fear this deeply. Hubert’s breaths were ragged, frantic. His hands were grasping at his cravat as if he was having trouble breathing. A tremor that had started in his shoulders quickly progressed to consumed his entire body uncle Hubert was shaking.

“Hubert!!” Ferdinand called again, placing his hands on either side of his face, not knowing what had come over his love so suddenly. It appeared to Ferdinand to be a panic attack, something that was a common occurrence in times of war. but Hubert had been known to be positively unflappable.

“Hubert…” Ferdinand said his voice now nearly pleading.

Hubert’s eyes squeezed shut, the tremors unceasing even as he clearly tried to suppress it. Hubert’s mouth opened several times, but the violent shaking caused his teeth to clatter against each other. The only course of action is to keep his jaw tightly shut.

“Let us get you out of here. I can come back later on my own”

Hubert gasped, looking as if he might resist, but he just nodded his head. He lifted a shaking hand, pointing past Ferdinand. “The bag….weapons…Don’t—”

Ferdinand gave Hubert a lingering look before quickly dashing over to grab the discarded bag. He then returned just as quickly to Hubert’s side, slinging one of Hubert’s arms over his shoulders, and helping him walk back out of the mansion, back out towards the sun and the clean air.


	7. Chapter 7

Edelgard sits in the Emperor’s new office, behind a large mahogany desk, a quill-pen clasped tightly in her right hand. The room had once belonged to a lower minister, just as her bedroom suite once had as well. Edelgard was framed by the overcast skies visible through the large window behind her. The office itself was still not fully broken-in. A tea-table and chairs had been brought in, similar to Ferdinand’s office set up. The files and bookshelves were mostly empty or blocked by crates of documents and tomes. Edelgard’s desk itself was a mess of papers. Several inkwells in various states of depletion as well as snapped quill-pens.

Lysithea had been Edelgard’s first appointment that morning. Now she sat at the tea-table in the middle of the room, looking over her own documents while snacking on biscuits. As promised, Lorenz had delivered a copy of his new Leicester governance plan to her office the day before. Lysithea had arrived to discuss the details and anything that would need to be sent after Lorenz for his mission back to the Alliance.

Edelgard took a break from writing her reply to Lorenz and glanced out the window behind her. It had been quite some time now since she saw Hubert and Ferdinand depart, at least an hour. She had watched closely as the two of them left from the lower levels of the palace, disappearing out of sight. The buzz of unease had not quite settled since then.

Edelgard returned to her letter, reading over the final paragraph of the Leicester Plan once more before adding her final comments. Lysithea had in fact contributed a great deal of the plan’s finer details. In particular able to carefully consider how lesser subordinate lords should be handled within the new system.

Edelgard finished the letter and sealed it with wax before placing it on the corner of her desk. “That is my correspondence to Lorenz. I would appreciate if you used your office’s messenger to send it after him.”

“Sure thing!” Lysithea said through a mouthful of biscuit, hopping up and grabbing the letter to stow on her person. The reorganisation of Leicester was among the more straight-forward of their new efforts. What with their inclination towards a council of lords over one single king, at least on the surface, it would be easier to convert to a more de-centralised rule.

But in reality, Leicester had always been just as corrupt and unstable as the other countries. The lords feuded over council positions so often that the climate had become completely cut-throat over the centuries. But, with their focus on trade and commerce, they were poised to be an essential part of financing Edelgard’s lofty goals, and so appeasing them was paramount.

Just as Lysithea returned to her seat, the door to Edelgard’s office opened. Edelgard’s head rested in her hand, a long sigh falling from her lips. Edelgard knew who to expect and so did not look up immediately.

“Hello there Edie~,” Dorothea said, waltzing over to lean her hands on Edelgard’s desk. Dorothea had a morning full of meetings herself, catching up with friends while discussing how to move forward with Brigid and Adrestian relations at the same time.“How is my emperor holding up this morning?” Dorothea asked, Edelgard finally glancing up in her direction.

“Well enough. I trust your business went well this morning?”

“Of course Edie. I am all yours for the rest of the day!”

Edelgard gave Dorothea a small tired smile. Edelgard hardly had an excuse in her mind to be so exhausted that morning, and yet, there she was, having barely put a dent in the letters and reports she needed to complete that day.

Dorothea looked over the documents on Edelgard’s desk, pressing her lips together. “Is there anything here you want me to take care of?”

“There’s no need Dorothea, these are all my responsibility.”

Dorothea was not satisfied with her answer, placing her hand over one document in particular. “Here, let me handle finishing this festival proposal.”

Edelgard was about to protest but ended up relenting. “I have asked you all here for that very purpose after all...” she said.

Dorothea grabbed the plan outline and everything else related to the festival from Edelgard’s desk. Dorothea briefly rested her hand over Edelgard’s in a passing affectionate gesture before walking over to join Lysithea at the tea table.

Edelgard had made it clear that her festival was to be a political jumping-off point for the new Adrestian empire. The festival itself would in effect be a day-long festival. Edelgard had her domestic ministry outline plans to house and care for war refugees. Food would also be provided for as many citizens as possible. War refugees and peasants were going to be served free of charge in street stalls and large food festival areas. Coordination between the relief efforts and the Domestic ministry would also require the help of many civilian employees.

Landed elites, titled nobility, however, were going to be required to pay significant fees in order to attend the festival. As much as Edelgard detested it, in order to entice the contribution of even the more stubborn nobles, she was going to cordoned-off a special paid-entry area near the festival ceremony itself. These nobles, however, would be served the same food and amenities as the common folk. Edelgard hoped that proximity to the centre of the action would be enough to appease them.

Dorothea began composing letters on Edelgard’s behalf. Letters to Hanneman’s domestic office including the changes and concerns that were had about the plan. Dorothea knew what Edelgard’s priorities were on this matter, and also allowed her commoner perspective to inform her. Above that, Dorothea was quite experienced in getting money out of pig-headed nobles.

Lysithea and Dorothea worked diligently, Lysithea offering to handle letters of invitation to individual nobles. While they worked, Edelgard glanced their way every so often, her face certainly warming with gratitude and affection, even as her grip snapped yet another quill-pen in her fist.

Next on Edelgard’s agenda was a meeting with Mercedes. The timing had been vague as Mercedes herself had many other meetings herself, but now they were approaching the end of Mercedes’ promised time frame. Edelgard shuffled through her papers until she found the relevant documents. A plan from Manuela about re-opening Garreg Mach as a charity and educational institute.

Mercedes had taken up what was once the job of the Minister of Religious Affairs. She was responsible for administering the church-held lands, and as of now, also handling relations between the Adrestian and Faerghus territories.

The fact that Mercedes had so readily sided with Edelgard still to this day frankly quite mystified her. If she thought of it only as Mercedes being someone who suffered as a minor Imperial noble before finding refuge in the church. But in fact, Mercedes had suffered as a victim as the crest system, and at her core, cared more about charity and justice than the creed of any church.

A light knock sounded on the door and Edelgard called for her next appointment to come in. “Edelgard, apologies for not being able to see you sooner!” Mercedes said, pushing herself past the door and closing it behind her. “Ah, so this is your new office!”

Edelgard let out a small huff. “Unfortunately we are still in the processes of settling in. I am however deeply grateful that you were able to return so soon from the Monastery.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble. Byleth asked me to come personally in their stead so I am just happy to help.” Mercedes greeted Lysithea and Dorothea before making her way to Edelgard’s desk with her relevant reports. “I have had my meetings with the Finance, Domestic and Education departments. I think we have everything we need to start moving forward with this plan, isn’t it exciting?”

Edelgard gave Mercedes her full attention, even if she could hardly muster a smile. “Yes. And please, do not wait for my approval. I fully trust you and professor Eisner,” she said, the title feeling uncomfortable on her tongue. “I trust you two fully,” she let out a small grunt. “I only humoured Lorenz with my approval because I knew he would insist on those formalities.”

Mercedes let out a giggle. “Oh I fully understand, that Lorenz.”

Dorothea also lets out a scoff, Lysithea certainly feeling similar about her technical boss.

Mercedes then collected up her documents, leaving only a summary for Edelgard’s records. “I understand then. I will let everyone know as soon as possible!”

“Here,” Lysithea said, standing up towards Mercedes. “ I have some letters to deliver, so how about I just take yours for you.

“Oh, thank you, Lysithea!”

Lysithea took the letters from Mercedes, holding a hand out to Dorothea as well. After taking Dorothea’s completed letters, Lysithea turned to Edelgard once more.

“Alright then,” Lysithea pressed her lips together before turning back towards the office door. “I’ll go see if I can get Manuela and Flèche too for the afternoon meeting.”

“Thank you, Lysithea.”

Edelgard smiled after her, the door falling shut as departed. Mercedes then sat down at the tea-table with Dorothea, pouring them both tea as they got back to work in the meantime.

It was a few more long moments of quill-to-parchment; Edelgard’s continued glances between the table and the window behind her. It was still hard for her to focus on her work until her attention finally snagged.

Mercedes and Dorothea heard the sudden scrape of Edelgard’s chair against the office floor. looking up, they saw that she had suddenly gotten to her feet, and was staring out the window, her eyes locked at something in the distance.

“Edie? What is it?” Dorothea asked, standing up and walking to Edelgard’s side. Edelgard did not respond, her face was hard, but something close to worry had creased her brow and gnarled her lips. Dorothea gave Edelgard a concerned look before following her gaze and taking in a sharp gasp herself.

Ferdinand and Hubert were now outside of Edelgard’s window once again, but something clearly appeared to be wrong. They were moving at a dreadfully slow and hobbling pace, Ferdinand carrying a heavy load from the villa, on top of all but dragging Hubert along with him.

“What is it?” Mercedes asked, standing up and joining them at the window. “Hubert and Ferdinand?” She asked allowed. “Oh my...poor Hubert doesn't look well at all! Did something happen?”

Dorothea pressed her lips together, placing a hand on Edelgard’s shoulder. “Ferdinand offered to try and salvage anything of value. Everything of Edelgard’s and her siblings would still be there.”

“Siblings? Oh my, I had no idea!” Mercedes replied. “I can only assume that you had your reasons to avoid going back to that place...” Mercedes said, placing a hand on her chin. “If you want Edelgard, how about Dorothea and I go down and meet them?”

Edelgard turned to look at Mercedes, a look of surprise clear on her face. “Oh well...” She paused. “No. I will go down to them. There is something that I hope they have found for me.” Edelgard squared her shoulders and turned towards the other two. “I would like you to help me carry their findings with me back to this office.”

“Of course,” Mercedes replied, nodding in agreement.

Dorothea, however, looked concerned. “Are you sure, Edie?”

Edelgard didn’t reply, only marched out towards the door.

The three of them made their way down the flights of stairs, once on the first floor, they heard the sudden approach of someone running towards them in the direction of the palace grounds.

“Edelgard!” It was Lysithea, looking somewhat frantic. She skidded to a halt in front of them. “It’s Hubert and Ferdinand they—” she paused. “Wait, what are you all doing down here?” She asked, looking between the three of them.

Edelgard replied, her face still firm. “We caught sight of the two of them from the upper floors and are going to meet them.”

Lysithea glanced to Dorothea and Mercedes. Lysithea knew more about Edelgard’s siblings than even Ferdinand or Dorothea did. The only one surpassing her would be Hubert. “Edelgard—”

“We are going to meet them, if you would like, you can help us carry the artefacts they have recovered.” Edelgard’s face shifted to one of careful calm, her feet then carrying her towards the door to the palace grounds once again.

Lysithea grimaced, falling into step with Mercedes and Dorothea.

The four of them now walked down the palace grounds, passing through the small decorative garden along the path that leads to the imperial villa.

Hubert and Ferdinand had come to a stop still a fair distance from the Palace. Despite Hubert’s poor state, he had stubbornly refused to let go of the things he carried, even as Ferdinand tried to persuade him.

Dorothea struck out ahead, her pace increasing until Ferdie’s voice came within earshot.

“I am insisting again! Let me carry everything, I can handle it—” he cut himself off, suddenly noticing that they were no longer alone. Dorothea approached him, Mercedes, right on her heels.

“Dorothea, Mercedes—“ Ferdinand sputtered, pulling away from Hubert in a moment of sudden reaction. Hubert, however, did not fall over as Mercedes had moved in to support him, her hands already glowing with white magic.

Ferdinand’s eyes then went behind Dorothea to the other two who still approached. “Ah, Lysithea as well and—Edelgard!” He was so surprised to see her that is managed to override his distress over Hubert.

Edelgard walked up to them, her expression still betraying nothing as she met Ferdinand’s gaze. “I take it you were successful?” She asked.

Ferdinand’s eyes widened slightly and he swallowed before replying. “We only made it through the west wing unfortunately before—” he glanced to Hubert who was still leaning heavily against Mercedes. “Hubert—became suddenly quite unwell.”

As he spoke to Edelgard, Mercedes spoke quietly to Lysithea, the two of them working to rid Hubert of his heavy loads. Dorothea also began to remove the satchel from Ferdinand’s shoulder even as he seemed to refuse to let go of the bundle of weapons.

“Ah, thank you Dorothea—” Ferdinand said, just as Edelgard took a step closer

“I will take this,” Edelgard said, taking the bundle under her arms. Ferdinand was about to react but scarcely had a moment to. Edelgard glanced at Hubert once more, and then turned on her heel back towards the Palace.

“Edelgard?” Mercedes asked, a watching as Lysithea immediately ran after Edelgard again.

Edelgard continued her brisk pace, not looking back once. “Ferdinand can take care of Hubert. In this state, the last thing he needs is more people fussing over him.”

Mercedes did not seem satisfied with this but followed Edelgard none the less.

Dorothea lingered, for just a few moments longer, letting out a sigh.

“Dorothea?” Ferdinand asked, his arm slung over Hubert’s shoulder yet again.

“I just...” Dorothea pressed her lips together. “I have no idea what Edelgard is thinking.”

“Dorothea—” he gave her a somewhat helpless look, glancing between her and Hubert.

Dorothea looked at Hubert, and then back in Edelgard’s direction. “How about I help you take care of Hubert for the time being?” She suggested, walking to Hubert’s other side to sling his arm over his shoulder.

“But, do you not think that Edelgard will want your support?”

Dorothea pressed her lips together. “I think she will understand. She is not alone after all, she has Lysithea and the others.”

Ferdinand himself was also not fully convinced. He sensed some further distress under the surface but was not at all in any position to do much else about it. “At any rate, I appreciate your help. Let us get Hubert back to his chambers, posthaste.”

—

“Oh,” Mercedes remarked, glancing behind her as they crested the stairs of the 4th floor once again. “It looks like Dorothea didn’t follow us.”

Edelgard continued to march back towards her office. “She was probably worried about Hubert and Ferdinand.” Is all she said before opening her Office door and pressing back inside.

Mercedes and Lysithea shared a brief glance before following her.

Waiting for them was Manuela and Flèche. Manuela was lounging already at the tea-table, while Flèche had been placing some letters on Edelgard’s desk

Edelgard marched in, drawing both of their attention.

Fléche turned to face them, but before she could even greet then, Edelgard was approaching her with the bundle of her siblings’ weapons.

“Lady Edelgard?” She asked, holding out her arms and receiving the bundle with a small confused expression on her face.

Edelgard gave her a brief smile before walking back behind her desk. “These are important, I would like you to go through them,” she glanced back behind them.

Mercedes and Lysithea had placed their satchels on the floor by the tea-table. Sitting down with Manuela who was forced to clean away her refreshments.

Edelgard continued. “For the moment, I have an additional piece of business I would like the two of you to help me with,” she said, just as Lysithea pulled out the large leather-bound portrait album from Ferdinand’s satchel.

Manuela raised an eyebrow, returning to her seat at the tea-table. “And what exactly would that be?”

Edelgard bit her lip, faltering for a moment before Mercedes stepped in. “Ferdinand and Hubert went into the old Imperial Villa today. These things used to belong to Edelgard’s older siblings!”

Manuela let out a contemplative huff. “Now that you mention it, I had always wondered what happened to those older kids. Back in my days at the Opera, I could hardly keep track of the imperial children that came to our shows.” Manuela then found that Lysithea was shoving the portrait album into her hands as she spoke. “Not that I’m complaining! There just was always a point made to announce and make a big show whenever a Hresvelg was in attendance,” she said, opening the album and starting to page through.

Flèche had unrolled the weapons and laid them out on an empty section of floor to the left of Edelgard’s desk. Edelgard however was standing with her arms crossed behind her back again, staring out onto the palace grounds.

Mercedes and Lysithea had started by taking everything out of the two satchels. They stacked the diaries together, kept documents and sketches in a pile while spreading out the other trinkets.

“Oh, Flèche!” Lysithea said suddenly when she got her hands around Ortrun’s knife collection. “There are a bunch of daggers here, I think you should take a look at them.” She said, getting up from her seat and bringing them to where Flèche knelt on the floor. Fléche’s eyes lit up again and she took the daggers gratefully, laying them out along with their sheathes as she had done with the various swords.

Flèche went back to her mode of concentration, and so Lysithea let her be. But instead of going back to the tea table, she went to go stand with Edelgard by the window.

Edelgard started slightly and looked over towards Lysithea, her face relaxing. Lysithea could tell how much Edelgard was struggling to keep her emotions in check, and so Lysithea wanted to support her however she could.

Back at the tea table, Mercedes leaned over to get a better look at the album. “Manuela, could you go back to the first pages?” Manuela flipped back to the first pages where on the left was an image of the eldest child, Adelbert, on the right was one of the two eldest twins.

Mercedes’ eyes grew somewhat distant, a long sigh leaving her lips. “Well, do any of them seem familiar to you?”

Manuela shrugged. “I wish I could say that I knew the name at least but...Honestly all of the imperial names blurred together for me.” She sighed, turning over to the pages with larger group shots of the siblings.

“Edelgard,” Mercedes said, turning towards where Edelgard stood. “Ferdinand mentioned something about only getting to the west wing...Do you know which of your siblings lived there?”

“Yes,” Edelgard replied. “That means that we only have objects from the older 6 siblings.”

Mercedes nodded, “Maybe that’s for the best. We already have so much to go through today!”

Manuela flipped through the album until she found two portraits that displayed the eldest 6 siblings. Adelbert, Lutgard and Ortrun all on the left hand page; Reimund, Gerhardt and Leberecht on the right.

Manuela set the portrait album down, rotating it so that Mercedes could see it clearly. Mercedes’ gaze lingered on the portraits again for a bit, her fingers separating out the officers academy regalia from the rest of the trinkets.

While she did that, Manuela turned her attention to the pile of notebooks and plucked the first one from the pile. It was one of the academy’s standard issue notebooks, and so it drew her attention, turning the page, she saw Adelbert’s name and information written on the title page. “Of course, Adelbert was house leader that year...a lot of other minor nobles and, a decent smattering of commoners in his class.”

Mercedes looked up, her expression creasing in concern. “Oh, Manuela, you’ve been teaching at the academy for some time. Did it turn out that you taught one of Edelgard’s siblings?”

Manuela shook her head. “This was still well before I worked at the academy. But, Hanneman should have—” She let out a sharp chuckle as she scanned the next page. “Would you look at that.” She cleared her throat. “It’s written right here. ‘Thanks to the steady instruction of professor Hanneman, the Black Eagle house has attained victory in the Mock Battle of great tree moon 1168.’”

A sharp metallic clang could be heard from Fléche’s direction. Lysithea glanced her way but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Flèche only seemed to have dropped a dagger by accident.

Manuela continued, finding herself lingering on the first moon’s entries, her initial hesitance fading away with Adelbert’s very rich and detailed accounts. He had written out glowing accounts of each of his classmates over the course of the Great Tree Moon. He had done his due diligence as the house leader, learning about all of his classmates’ stories and backgrounds, not just their status or ability.

The names of the nobles mostly went over her head, but with the way Adelbert wrote about them, she could scarcely tell who was common or noble. One name, however, did stick out to the former professor.

‘Ladislava Kadlec; from a merchant family in a small village near the Airhmid river. She is profoundly motivated and already skilled in riding. She has shown a strong interest in mastering Wyverns well.’

Manuela snapped the notebook shut. She had not been particularly close with Ladislava, but as fellow high-ranking members of the imperial army, they had known one another. And the sudden memory of someone so recently passed seemed to push something over the edge.

Manuela gave the notebook to Mercedes, sitting back in her chair with a sigh. “Well, next I suppose we can just badger Hanneman about what he remembers. If that old geezer can remember that far back. ”

Mercedes placed the diary among Adelbert’s other belongings. She glanced back at the portrait album. “Well, it looks like one of the sisters was house leader next year, Lutgard it looks like?” She said while pulling out more books and trinkets from the bags.

Manuela then picked up the other two academy standard diaries. flipping them both open, but quickly going with Ortrun’s as the level of detail between them was quite obvious. Lutgard’s diary, despite her house leader status was a lot of brief entries in loopy script while her sister’s was as dense as a spell tome.

Flèche however took that moment to speak up. “Would that be...Is that—” She paused. “Class of 1169-1170?” She asked.

Manuela looked up from her perusing with a curious look on her face. “Why yes, as they attended the year after young Adelbert.”

Mercedes looked Fléche’s way. “Is something the matter? Flèche?”

Fléche started, glancing towards Mercedes for a moment and then back at her hands. “Ah? Oh uh...nothing it’s just—” Her hands clenched in her lap. “That’s the year— that’s when my brother went to the officer’s academy.”

There was a brief moment of silence throughout the room, looks of concern and sympathy towards Flèche whose brother had also not made it through the war. Manuela then returned to the book with a renewed sense of interest.

Ortrun, like her older brother, filled the first section of her notebook with detailed accounts of all of the black eagles, hers however proving to be rather...exhaustive. “There is a very lengthy section about your brother in here,” Manuela said carefully. “But frankly I think we have all the information we need from that,” she said, closing the books both and placing them in their respective piles.

Manuela let out a heavy sigh and returned her attention to the portrait album, now looking at the three middle boys. “Reimund, Gerhardt and Leberecht,” she muttered while picking out a notebook with the eldest triplet’s name engraved upon the spine.

Mercedes all the while was diligently sorting and organising everything. She made sure that the loose papers were not damaged, and that necklace chains were untangled, embellishments unscathed. 

“Oh my,” Manuela said, the strained expression melting from her face. “This brother Reimund of yours was quite the artist!” She said, placing a manicured finger to the page. “If I am not mistaken, this was my costume for the 1169 production of ‘das Meer und die Adler”!”

Without Manuela noticing, Edelgard had suddenly appeared at her shoulder. Causing Manuela to start when she spoke up. “Whose notebook is that, is it Reimund’s?”

Manuela flipped to check the spine. “Yes it is, indeed.”

“Can I see it please?”

Manuela started for a brief moment, taken off guard by Edelgard’s sudden shift in attitude. “Why, of course,” she said, handing it over without hesitation. Edelgard’s face remained carefully blank as she paged through it, finally resting on the page she was searching for.

Manuela leaned over and saw for herself. It looked to be a collaborative drawing. The base figure was drawn in steady strokes with thick dark lines, while the dress on the figure was in bright scratchy strokes, much like the rest of the sketchbook.

“This is it,” Edelgard said, holding the diary in her hands, cradling it with the reverence of a devout monk. All eyes were fixed on Edelgard as she held it to her chest, her face once as stark and cold as stone now melting into an expression torn between joy and grief. “This is what I was looking for.”


	8. Chapter 8

With some considerable effort, Hubert was now returned safely to his chambers. His body was eerily still where he lay his eyes all but stuck shut with the sweat that slid from his forehead. He was covered in blankets, his head resting on a pillow, but his bearing was far from restful, far closer to that of a corpse resting within an open casket. The fact that he had finally ceased shaking should be a comforting fact, but now that leaves him appearing somewhere closer to death than mere slumber.

Dorothea remained silent all the way up to Hubert’s chambers, able to see that Ferdinand’s primary focus was making sure that Hubert was cared for. And so she saw to that. Upon entering Hubert’s suite, they got him dressed down enough to rest and then set him up in bed. Dorothea having to insist that Ferdinand sit down and leave the rest to her.

He eventually agreed, sitting down at a chaise lounge in the sitting room. Even as he trusted Dorothea even more than he trusted himself, he still felt restless until she finally came back out of Hubert’s room and sat down next to Ferdinand himself.

“Ferdie,” Dorothea began softly, placing a hand on his back.

“Dorothea,” Ferdinand replied, his voice cracking slightly. “Thank you,” he sighed, lifting his head and sitting back in his seat. “Thank you for assisting us.”

Dorothea’s fingertips trailed down his back, somewhat hesitant as if yet undecided on how to try and comfort him. “Of course,” she said softly. “Ferdie, can you tell me more about what happened? Just start from the beginning.”

Ferdinand let out a heavy sigh, his eyes fixing not he ceiling above them. “I am a fool, Dorothea,” Ferdinand said with a bitter grin on his face. “I should have known better than to trust Hubert when his own emotional well being was at stake.”

Dorothea frowned before continuing. “Now, what exactly do you mean by that?”

“Ah—” Ferdinand’s eyes shot open, as if he had only just come to his senses. “Goodness me…that was not at all an answer to your query.” He paused, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. “After you and I parted ways this morning, I eventually ascertained Hubert’s wherabouts. When I found him, he already appeared quite haggard. I simply presumed that was due to his sudden journey the night before.” Ferdinand bit his lip. “However, it did seem clear that he was...affected. By the idea of going into the imperial villa.”

Dorothea nodded. “It makes sense, given what Edie has told us.”

Ferdinand let out a short sight through his teeth. “Perhaps...perhaps I should have relented,” Ferdinand said, placing a hand to his forehead as he stared at the floor. “I should have known...that he would force himself.”

“Ferdie...” Dorothea began, leaning into his shoulder and pulling her arm around his back. “I really don’t think that you can blame yourself for this. Sure, you could have anticipated it but...Hubert did agree, didn’t he?”

Ferdinand’s hand fell from his face and he angled himself towards Dorothea. “Yes, he did,”

“And you trusted his word. That is who you are, Ferdie.” She sighed. “But, as it turns out, who Hubert is, is someone not honest about his own limits.”

Ferdinand grimaced. “I just...I have never seen him like that. I honestly did not, and still do not have any idea what to do...”

Ferdinand relayed to her in as much detail as he could, about how Hubert had become more and more disturbed the further they ventured into the mansion. Until at long last, he finally fell apart before Ferdinand’s very eyes.

“I have seen that man take countless lives; I have seen him drenched in the blood of our enemies. I have seen him rend a foe in twain that dared threaten Edelgard; I have seen his eyes crazed with bloodlust and burning with rage but—I have never seen him show true terror before.”

Dorothea pondered this, keeping herself close the Ferdinand, as the true depths of his sorry could hardly even be described in words.

“I wonder if…” Dorothea began. “I wonder if…Edelgard knew that he would react like this.”

Ferdinand’s eyes then suddenly widened in realisation. “Oh—” he gasped, turning his body to fully face her, causing Dorothea to pull back from him. “Do you remember, what Edelgard stipulated when she allowed me to enter the villa int he first place?”

“Yeah, she wanted you to get permission from Hubert,” she said. “Even though she gave me her own key without question…”

“I had initially assumed that this was because Hubert would be able to guide me through in the most efficient manner,” he pauses. “I think that I know the reason now. She must have been anticipating that Hubert would react this way.”

“I suppose she is privy to a lot more information about Hubert than we are…” Dorothea shrugged. “But from what I can tell, he still keeps a lot from her,”Dorothea placed one hand to her cheek. “Edelgard mentions it to me quite often, how she wishes that Hubert would be less secretive,” she sighed. “Like his absence the other night, I wonder if Edie even knew where he went or what he was doing.”

Ferdinand creased his brows together. Like Dorothea, he quite doubted that she did. But as things stood, it did not seem like that particular aspect of Hubert was going to change at all anytime soon.

Glancing over towards the door to Hubert’s bedroom, Ferdinand wondered if he was really even asleep. It was not like he was saying anything that he would not wish Hubert to hear, on the contrary, a part of him wanted Hubert to be awake to hear it.

Dorothea continued. “The question still remains, I suppose…what it could possibly be that would cause Hubie to break down like this…” Dorothea’s gaze followed Ferdinand’s to where Hubert lay on the bed. “Could it be just remembering all those siblings he once knew? Or maybe just the idea of facing Edie’s childhood bedroom?”

Ferdinand gave a solemn noise of affirmation. It was not entirely productive to speculate like this, but they both knew that the likelihood of Hubert actually telling either of them was incredibly low. Instead, all that they could really do was try to piece together what little information they had.

Dorothea stood up, one hand lingering of Ferdinand’s shoulder. “Do you want me to stay?” She asked. Ferdinand however, stood up with her.

“On the contrary, Dorothea, I would like to go with you. Back to Edelgard, I assume?”

“Yes. It is probably still quite busy up there in the office. But if possible, I have some things that I would like to discuss with her… privately.”

“I will gladly accompany you.”

Dorothea made her way out of the suite while Ferdinand lingered behind for a moment, stealing back into the bedroom. For all he knew Hubert could still be awake, but he decided to take a risk and fist walked over to where Hubert’s overclothes had been stored after removal. As quickly and quietly as he could, he took the dagger that Hubert always kept concealed on his person and slipped it into his coat.

With that, Ferdinand followed Dorothea out of Hubert’s suite. It was not like they could do much more for him. And although Ferdinand dearly wished to stay by his side, his instincts told him that for the immediate future, that would prove more frustrating than actually productive. After all, Hubert would, no doubt, be completely and utterly ashamed at his display of weakness.

The two of them return to Edelgard’s office. About to knock when they heard the doorknob opening from the other side. In a few moments they were face-to-face with Edelgard. No words needed to be exchanged for them to know that Edelgard was nowhere near being up to speak with them. It seemed like perhaps it was Edelgard’s turn to cancel her afternoon plans and retire.

But despite this, Edelgard forced a smile and a greeting. “Dorothea, Ferdinand. I trust you saw that Hubert is well-taken care of.”

Dorothea herself was not in the mood to entertain pleasantries and simply took Edelgard by the hand. “Edie, I need you to come with me, okay?” She said, dragging Edelgard forward out of the doorway to the office. Edelgard did not resist, the weariness in her bones, the despair creeping up her spine; it caused her to float, only kept aloft by Dorothea’s steady hands.

Dorothea supported Edelgard and gave Ferdinand a meaningful look. “Don’t worry about Edie for now, okay?”

Ferdinand nodded, somewhat solemnly, watching them leave before he turned to enter Edelgard’s office.

Ferdinand walked in, taking in the scene, which was somewhat peculiar to him. He did not think in the first place that Edelgard would be willing, much less eager to go through her siblings’ belongings. He had assumed that he would have been the one to take on the bulk of this work, but before him, Edelgard’s closest ministers were busy at work.

“Ah,” Ferdinand said, striding forward to the tea table where Manuela and Mercedes were sorting through things. “These brooches I actually took from Reimund’s desk and this…” he said, sliding a dagger over to a pile of jewellery. “This was Brunhild’s.”

“Ah, thank you so much, Ferdinand,” Mercedes replied pleasantly. “Since you were the one who collected everything, do you want to finish separating things?”

“Yes, I will gladly. I am sure we can find some boxes to keep everything organised?” As he said this he began to stride over towards Flèche was set up with the weapons. “Just give me one moment.” He gave Manuela a nod of acknowledgement before proceeding.

“Flèche” he said gently. She looked up at him, her face somewhat dour and deep in concentration. “Pardon, if I am distracting you.”

She shook her head and attempted a weak smile. “It’s alright, don’t mind me, do you need something?”

“Yes, just a quick favour,” he said, slipping the dagger out of his coat. “Those daggers, that large collection belongs to Ortrun. Can you just confirm that this one I have, if it is of the same set?” The visual similarities were obvious, especially to Ferdinand with his weapon speciality; but Flèche had been the one examining them thoroughly longer than he had.

Flèche’s features creased in concentration again as she took the dagger into her hands. “I suppose you’re wondering if this dagger was just a mass-produced model or if this was a bespoke set;” she carefully removed the sheath and turned the blade over in the light. “Ah, yes. The same craftsman’s mark is there on the base of the blade,” she tapped the blade and hilt with her fingernail. “Same alloy,” with her other hand she picked up one of the other daggers that was laid out and weighed them in her hands. “Same approximate weight…by my first guess I would say that this knife was originally part of this set. Where did you find it?“ Her eyes narrowed. “This one…well, it’s actually quite well-used, huh.”

Ferdinand gave Flèche as pleasant a smile as he could manage. He was not about to give her a bold-faced lie, nor did he particularly feel the need to reveal it’s source. Although Hubert always kept it on him, something about the blade felt incredibly private and sacred. Ferdinand honestly was still baffled that he had chosen to do this. But, in the face of Hubert’s obstinance, Ferdinand felt like he had little other choice. It was bizarrely underhanded, especially for Ferdinand. But perhaps, he thought to himself, Hubert was beginning to rub off on him in particular ways.

Flèche did not question him further and returned the blade to him without question. Ferdinand then thanked her and returned to the tea-table.

“Alright, I will make sure everything is labelled and separated. We will probably have to wait on transcribing everything; I do not think we have any spare scribes at the moment,” he said while scanning everthing, counting up the diaries in his mind. “Wait a moment, there’s one missing.”

“Edelgard took one of them,” Lysithea said speaking up from where she still stood behind Edelgard’s desk. “She said that she had been looking for something, and it looks like she found it.”

Ferdinand pressed his lips together, curious, but also befuddled. “Well, I am glad then that this venture had other successes.”

Ferdinand then went about doing as he had declared, with Manuela and Mercedes, he started packing the siblings’ belongings into their separate boxes for convenience and labelling them appropriately. All of it still felt grim and wrong, that heavy feeling hanging in the air, but they continued.

Back through the hallways once again, to Edelgard’s suite that was, in fact, all but adjoined to Hubert’s. But they approached from the opposite direction and ducked into Edelgard’s chambers without any other comment.

“Edie,” Dorothea said, her voice a little firmer than she wanted it to be. “Do you want to explain to me what this was about?” Her hands continued to support Edelgard, feeling how she was on the brink of falling apart. “You’re going to end up like Hubert if you’re not careful. I just don’t understand. Ferdinand and I offered to do everything for you, so why—”

“I’m sorry,” Edelgard replied, not looking at Dorothea, her hands clasped tightly around the diary she still held.

Dorothea let out a short sigh. “Alright, lets just get you into bed first.”

Edelgard surprisingly did not resist, allowing herself to be laid down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling with the diary clasped to her chest.

Dorothea pulled up a chair leaning in and watching Edelgard carefully.

“I must have seemed...so callous to Hubert,” Edelgard said suddenly.

Dorothea gave a light hum in response.

“Is he alright?”

Dorothea replied. “He was asleep when Ferdie and I left him,” she mused. Odd to think that he was right next door and yet they had to speculate on the exact nature of his condition.

“Did Ferdinand tell you anything else about what happened?”

“He told me that...Hubert had been acting strange since he returned this morning. And he was clearly distressed at the idea of going into he villa, but agreed nonetheless,” Dorothea turned another page, her eyes falling on a sketch of another Mittelfrank costume that she recognised. “Apparently, Hubert was able to drag himself through it until they reached...the east wing?” Dorothea’s eyes slid up to see Edelgard’s reaction.

To Dorothea’s utter shock, Edelgard’s placid mask had completely fallen away.

Edelgard’s lower lip was shaking, her mouth pulled wide in a grimace, her eyes wide as she kept staring at the ceiling. “When I was taken from the kingdom, my four closest sisters were still left alive.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Brünhild, Jördis, Sieglinde, Heidirun,” she took in a shuddering breath. “And when I returned, they too were dead, and Hubert told me nothing.”

Dorothea was beyond confused, but employed her every ounce of acting skill to simply flow along until she did. “Do you think Hubert is hiding something from you?” Dorothea asked.

“I don’t know...I don’t know Dorothea,” she paused. “But, sorry. I’m...getting ahead of myself. The east wing it where I along with my four closest sisters lived. And you say that...” she turned to face Dorothea. “Hubert became unable to continue, once he reached the east wing?”

“Yes, that is what Ferdie told me.”

“Forgive me...if I seem unhinged,” she placed a hand to her face. “You know about the experiments but...” her free hand began to tremble. “4 months, Dorothea. 4 months. All 11 of us were held underground and—”

Dorothea then finally jerked forward, holding out her hands to hold Edelgard. Edelgard’s words died out, replaced by shuddering sobs. Edelgard’s hands finally released the diary, allowing it to slide off onto the bed next to her.

“Edie...Edie it’s alright now. It’s alright,” she soothed. “You’re safe now, right here with me.”

Dorothea felt a little guilty for some of the emotions that had flared up in her about her seeming dismissal of Hubert’s condition. But it all made sense now. Edelgard was afraid that she too would end up like he had.

“When I was taken to the kingdom...by then, all 6 of my older siblings were already dead.” She gasped, hands still shaking. “I can still—I still hear their screams.”

Dorothea could not find any words to respond, only do all that she could to keep comforting her. While Edelgard started to calm down, Dorothea then picked up the diary to keep it from falling off the bed entirely.

This little book that seemed so unassuming had been Edelgard’s entire goal. Perhaps that would become clear to her, but for now, Dorothea remained there to be what Edelgard needed most in that moment. A warm hand, a steady presence, something to keep her rooted to the present, and away from those shadows that threatened to crawl up the walls and swallow her whole.

When Ferdinand finally returned to Hubert’s room, his eyes were still closed. Ferdinand tried to sneak his dagger back into Hubert’s clothes without him noticing, but was stopped by the raspy creak of Hubert’s voice leaking out from behind him.

“Rather underhanded for you, I am almost impressed.”

Ferdinand started but then immediately relaxed. “Forgive me, Hubert. But, you of all people should know why I don’t expect you to be exactly forthcoming with information like this,” Ferdinand said, placing the dagger down and turning back towards Hubert.

Hubert still looked incredibly pale, but his eyes were focused and and his body still. Ferdinand walked over and pulled up a chair to sit in at Hubert’s beside

After a few moments, Hubert spoke up. “That dagger, was a gift from Ortrun,”

Ferdinand didn’t respond, only giving Hubert his full attention.

“She taught me how to use it. How to defend myself, and how to—” he grimaced. “She took the shady methods that my father crammed into me, and she pointed them towards the paling light of dawn,” he says with a bitter smirk. “But as it turns out, I was not able to keep my promise to her.”

“Your promise?” Ferdinand asks softly.

Hubert let out a low, dry laugh. “She made me promise that I only use it to protect those whom I love,” his dark chuckle started to bubble up, spilling out still low and raspy.

Ferdinand remains silent, the implications settling deep within him. But Ferdinand has no words for him, no comfort. “Hubert, do you require me to stay with you any longer?” The careful wording undoubtedly conveying his true meaning.

Hubert scoffs. “No, I do not.”

“Well, in that case,” Ferdinand pushes himself up from his chair not looking at Hubert as he did so. “I will leave you to your recover then,” his farewell is rather curt, but it really is better this way. Ferdinand knows that he has nothing for Hubert. And in truth, the wounds that Hubert is likely to continue inflicting are not something that Ferdinand is obligated to endure. Ferdinand is Hubert’s friend, but there will be no good that can possibly come from allowing himself to be harmed by the hatred that Hubert continues to harbour at himself. Ferdinand can only hope that somehow, Hubert can find a way to reach out to the one who can take his hand in return.


	9. Chapter 9

The Imperial Villa looms overhead. Dorothea herself had not heavily considered going here herself, not even when Edelgard first entrusted the key to her, but now, she felt herself all but drawn to this place as if by a physical force.

But even so, this impulse is quickly met by doubts. A few hours within its walls had reduced Hubert to a state unlike any of them had ever seen.

And Edelgard, eternally stalwart and composed Edelgard...

“When I returned...they were no longer living.”

There was something there. Some connection. Hubert lost his composure upon entering the east wing. Edelgard had her own doubts and conflicts regarding the fates of her four closest sisters. Dorothea felt a creeping fear deep within, suspicions that she dare not entertain until she could know for absolute certain.

Entering the villa, she illuminated the dimly lit interior with her fire magic, casting a glance around along with the light. She spotted the large sitting room portrait and ventured a look. The portrait was so massive, the siblings were almost life-sized. It was, beyond eerie, these 10 faces, all with an echo of her dear Edie. Adelbert had her smile, Heidirun had her nose, Ortrun had her posture.

And Edelgard herself rendered at that young age. She looked like a younger version of Edelgard, but also like an entirely different being. There was a weightlessness to her bearing, a light in her smile; things that were beyond rare within the Edelgard that Dorothea herself had come to know.

It was up a central staircase and to the east wing. Unfortunately, Dorothea did not have Hubert to guide her, she thought, as she climbed the stairs and took a right. But as she walked, she noticed a peculiar pattern on the dust on the wooden floor before her.

Petra had taught her how to track, and so Dorothea crouched before crossing the threshold, sending her firelight flying out before her in the corridor. There were very obvious tracks in the thick dust from the night before. And where she expected them to stop, she instead saw footprints staggering out and further down the hallway. Someone had been here recently, and she had a pretty strong guess as to who.

This would certainly help to narrow things down.Dorothea followed the trail and found one room ajar. It was a small suite for two people, the decoration was sparse, as it most likely belonged to siblings who had scarcely even reached their teens. Despite the likely lack of danger, Dorothea crept in, following the trail through the sitting room and in towards the bedroom. Opening the door, she immediately spotted a figure collapsed on the floor. It was Hubert.

Ferdinand had awoken to see him gone that morning, Dorothea knew that much at least. And somehow, she was not surprised at all to see him here, like this.

Hubert lay on the section of the floor between the two beds, and Dorothea then went to kneel next to him. She let out a heavy sigh, what little exasperation she felt quickly melting away into sympathy and a genuine sort of pity. Hubert was so clearly still held captive by so many things. And while Edelgard’s dream being realised was still many years off, his own wellbeing fell clattering to the wayside.

She grabbed his shoulder and rolled him onto his back with ease. After doing so, she found something clutched to his chest. A small child’s drawing featuring two figures, a girl with pigtails and a boy with black hair.

Dorothea’s hands glowed with faith magic, returning just a little of the colour to his sallow face. She dragged him to his feet, placing him on one of the beds, coughing at the sudden cloud of disturbed dust that flew up in her face. Hubert, until now completely unreactive, let out a loud sneeze.

Dorothea blew the dust away, a minuscule smile forming on her lips before it swiftly dissipated. “Hubie,” she said.

“Dorothea. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Edie gave me her key to the villa.”

“I see.”

Dorothea crosses her arms and lets out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t suppose you have it in you to finally explain all of this to me,” Dorothea asked.

“Whatever are you referring to?”

“I know, Hubie. I know that something happened. You can tell me, or you can let me speculate. You can let Edelgard keep wondering about it in agony, or you can just clear the air,” she said, walking over to sit by Hubert on the bedside. “I know what’s at stake, but it is killing you. You and Edie both,” Dorothea grimaced. “She needs you, Hubie. She needs you to be more than just her servant. She needs you to be her friend.”

“Preposterous.”

Dorothea frowns. “Well, the choice is up to you.”

Hubert’s eyes then slowly slid open, not yet focusing on anything but the vague middle distance. ”What exactly is it that you suppose that you know?”

“I know that you had to do with what happened to the remaining four sisters. Edelgard thinks so too.”

Silence.

“If you don’t tell me, I will find a way to discover for myself. It’s only a matter of time.”

“I do not doubt that.”

“Well then?”

A pause. “Can we at least extricate ourselves from Lady Brünhild’s room first?”

Dorothea’s face softens and her shoulders relax. “Of course.”

  
Ferdinand sat behind the Prime Minister’s desk, the space now somehow more crowded and cluttered than before. The boxes of the Imperial siblings’ belongings now stacked amidst the scattered books and papers. Regardless, Ferdinand still had much work to do.

A knock on the door. “Come in,” he replied without looking up.

“Ferdinand,”

“Edelgard.”

“Have you seen Hubert this morning?”

A pause. “No, actually, i haven’t seen him since yesterday afternoon” his quill stopped where it was on the page and he looked up. “

Edelgard’s expression was blank, but Ferdinand could clearly see the deep exhaustion there, weighing on her features and her bearing. “And while Hubert is prone to leaving on his own and performing tasks in secret even from me. He does not leave the premises without at least notifying me first.”

Ferdinand’s brows crease. “Then, that means that he is still on the palace grounds,”

Edelgard sighed. “Perhaps, although I cannot know for certain.”

Ferdinand stood up, walking to stand with Edelgard on the other side of the desk. He then pulled out a small sheathed dagger from deep inside his coat. “Tell me, Edelgard, do you know who this blade belongs to?”

She takes a moment to observe the blade before looking back up to Ferdinand. “That looks like, Hubert’s, is it not?”

“Yes it is, however, I wonder if you know it’s original owner,” his expression fell only slightly. “Hubert told me that this gift was a gift from your elder sister Ortrun.”

Edelgard takes in a short gasp, her brows also furrowing. She also knew, that for Hubert to divulge that sort of personal detail...

“Hubert also told me several very curious things that I did not expect,” Ferdinand continues. “He told me that upon receiving this blade, he made a promise to only use the blade to protect those that he loved. And that, in the end, he was unable to keep that promise.”

Edelgard held Ferdinand’s gaze unflinchingly for those several moments, even as emotions threatened to pour out onto her face she resisted. “I knew it,” she whispered. “I knew it. I suspected as much!”

Ferdinand blinked. “I am afraid you are going to have to enlighten me as to what you are referring to.”

Edelgard however was no longer looking at Ferdinand, her expression distant. “But...why would he hide this from me? What reason could he possibly—”

“Edelgard.”

Edelgard turns back to Ferdinand, an expression on her face that Ferdinand did not know. The heartbreak he felt, at yet another part of her life still being blocked off from his understanding, that feeling touched Edelgard as well.

Edelgard then reached out a hand to cling to Ferdinand’s sleeve, and hand that Ferdinand noticed was still ungloved. “Ferdinand, I would like you to go through my siblings belongings with me,” he said, her voice only just barely remaining composed. “And I will tell you everything.”

—

Hubert and Dorothea found their way out of the oppressive villa, and into a small gazebo in it’s connecting gardens. Still in its shadow, still under the pale overcast skies, but away from the dust and shadows of the Villa’s inner chambers.

Dorothea helped Hubert into an iron-wright seat next to a table, pulling up a chair for herself.

“So,” she begins, not about to waste any time. “I know about as much as Ferdinand knows, I think.saw the records in his office, Edie wanted me too,” she pauses. “And I know what Edelgard told me last night. Now, are you going to fill in the gaps?”

Hubert presses his lips together. “Then perhaps I should start, with what you may already know,” he begins.

The Insurrection of the Seven. A momentous power grab that was framed to the people of Adrestia as a righteous seizure of power from the dictatorial Emperor.

The heads of the 6 great noble houses of Adrestia, along with the brother of the Emperor’s favoured Consort seized power, and peace and order was restored to an Empire that was clearly headed towards totalitarian rule. Not much changed for the citizenry of the capital, as little often did, when internal power struggles remained localised to the palace.

However, local shopkeepers and other townsfolk found that certain favourite customers of theirs no longer appeared all of a sudden. The blacksmith near the Palace sent a letter, inquiring after the health of Prince Adelbert, as he had yet to pick up his latest completed sword. This letter arrived at the imperial household’s office and was discarded.

Lutgard and Ortrun, who had received permission to return home for a “sudden family emergency” during their year at Garreg Mach, did not return at the designated time. A letter from the Church arrived, was discarded. Letters from their classmates, full of concern and worry, were also intercepted and never reached their intended recipient. The twin princesses never attended their graduation ceremony.

Within the Palace walls, Hubert, who had, up until that point, been commanded to stay by Lady Edelgard’s side no matter what, found that he was suddenly barred from even approaching the imperial villa. The weeks of Guardian Moon dragged on, Lone Moon, Pegasus Moon. Weeks became months where Hubert was not allowed to see Lady Edelgard.

All of Hubert’s pleas for answers from his father were met only with harsh rebuke and further isolation.

Until, finally in the first weeks of Harpstring Moon, days before Hubert’s 11th birthday, he happened to hear his father, speaking to the Knight’s captain in hushed tones.

Hubert froze in place, his father’s voice that often brought him so much dread. He was about to bolt when he heard her name for the first time in what felt like ages.

“You heard that Edie was taken, and you...ran after her?” Dorothea asked, looking almost amused.

Hubert’s expression remains blank. “There was no other thought in my mind than to return to her. As foolish as it may have been.”

Dorothea giggled. “Instead, Hubie, I dare say that it is rather quite like you,”

Hubert does not respond.

“But what did you do after? Dorothea asks.

“I made use of the skills that my father had been so diligent in instilling in me,” he replied nonchalantly. “I kept quiet, occupied my time with study and tutors while keeping an eye on my father’s and the other minister’s movements,” his lips curled into a weak sneer. “My father was always unbelievably sloppy, it only took me one Moon in order to determine where the siblings were being held.”

Dorothea’s body visibly tensed, preparing herself, as the memory of what she had read about pricked in her mind. “Hubie...”

Even after all this time; the seemingly endless months of separation between him and Edelgard; and the numerous years after— No matter how much time has passed, there was one thing about that night Hubert,would never be able to forget. No matter how hard he tried, the memory of it— of the relentless, putrid air that greeted him in the palace dungeons. Not just the stench, but the sheer weight and pressure of it. The air was damp and heavy, feeling as though it settled in one’s lungs. And on top of that was the smell of blood and of human decay.

After opening the door to the dungeon, Hubert stood there, all but immobilised. But he could not afford to linger, nor falter. If this place was what he suspected, he had to move quickly lest his father or anyone else discovered him there. With a shaky step forward, Hubert entered, letting the heavy door fall shut behind him.

Hubert shoved his cravat over his nose and mouth to try and dampen the smell but it helped little. The corridors were dimly lit, and so he progressed, lighting the torches as he progressed. There was something down here, he could feel it, and as he progressed, the more he dreaded what he would eventually find.

This was very clearly a dungeon, largely unused. As far as Hubert knew, all criminal proceedings were now handled in a separate judicial building. This dungeon being utilised was something left to antiquity. And yet, these corridors showed signs of being so recently occupied.

As Hubert continued, he passed by empty holding cells. Many were closed but some doors hung open and he had to force himself not to linger. He did not have the luxury any longer, because, at that moment, he heard the unmistakable sound of a blood-curdling scream.

Not only that, but it was the voice of someone that Hubert recognised.

Hubert broke out into a mad dash, sprinting down the corridor in the direction of the scream. After her scream, he heard a chorus of other voices, all familiar. Hubert was filled with such a consuming horror that he could not think nor even process what he was thinking.

At the end of the corridor, he finally found his way to a large chamber. The hallway ended in a T-formation, the hall spreading out both to his left and right before him. Those branches went along a wall with many windows, observation ports to the chamber within.

Long ago it must have been a torture chamber. And arguably, it still was. Looking inside, Hubert saw many of what appeared to be hospital beds and gurneys. Only four were occupied, but all of them were accompanied by some sort of contraptions; technology that he had never seen before.

The door, much to his surprise, was unlocked. Whatever drew his father away must have been so urgent that he had forgotten to close up everything properly. Despite how cruel and cunning his father was, he was still unnervingly sloppy for someone meant to work in the shadows.

Hubert entered, another wave of oppressive air hit him. He covered his mouth as he struggled not to vomit at the sheer horror of what was before him.

Beds, or rather—cots. Much more like stone slabs. If Hubert bothered to count, he would find there to be 11 in total, but he did not count. He did not want to. Nearest to where he stood at the door to the rectangular room, four of the beds were occupied. The two closest to the door, one empty, and then two more. It was everything that Hubert feared, and yet, somehow, countless times worse.

His mind was perhaps trying to protect him from the realisation, but it would soon dawn upon him. The empty beds....the empty beds.

Sieglinde and Heidirun were closest to where he stood, but he forced himself forward, fighting not to let his gaze linger on them. All of them were strapped to the slabs with all manner of foreign technology attached to them in ways he had no way of comprehending. It looked vaguely medical but far more sinister and alien.

Those two youngest were catatonic, eyes half-open, jaws slack, and beyond that Hubert could not bear to observe anymore. He had no time to, as the screams that he heard earlier were not yet ceasing. Next to Sieglinde was an empty bed, and next to that was Jördis. With her, Hubert saw that she was shackled to the bed, and as Hubert approached, her screaming only increased in its frenzied volume. It had been Jördis’ voice that he had heard earlier, and for the moment, he ignored her, only because the 4th and final body instead turned and regarded him. Brünhild’s eyes filled with the spark of recognition.

“Hubie, is that—is that really you?”

Hubert nodded, having to do everything that he could to ignore the frantic screaming behind them.

“I’m so happy. After all this time—help….help finally came.”

It was a miracle that Brünhild had kept her wits, but everything else seemed lost. Her wrists and ankles were chained to the beds, and she was overall emaciated.

Hubert trembled, his throat thick as he struggled to speak. “What can I do?” He asked, his voice almost too low to be heard.

“Ortrun is already dead, they all are. Adelbert, Reimund, everyone.”

“Ortrun…” he said, his hand suddenly going to his waist. There on his belt was the dagger that Ortrun herself had given him several years ago. “What do you mean—they are—”

“They didn’t make it,” she said, her gaze distant. “But I, Jördis, Edelgard and the younger ones…we survived.”

“What do you mean?”

Although Brünhild could not move, she flexed the fingers of her right palm. Hubert had seen her crest before, Brünhild was the one of the few of Edelgard’s siblings who had manifested one. But since it had not been the crest of Seiros, she was ignored for the imperial crown.

But, as he watched, he saw a completely unknown symbol emerge from her palm. “This is it. This is why. This is what they were aiming for. I now have a major crest, isn’t it wonderful?” She let out a dry laugh that soon became a cough. “But I lost everything else,” Brünhild’s already astonishing composure soon began to grumble. “Hubert, Hubie I—” she grimaced, choking on tears that didn’t seem to be able to fall. “I can’t—I can’t move. I can’t— I can’t feel my legs.” She sobbed. “I can only move my fingers and—”

While they had spoken, Jördis at the very least had stopped screaming, but the senseless mutters of Sieglinde and Heidirun persisted.

Brünhild spoke again. “Hubert. Do you know what happened to El?”

Hubert paused. “I—…I’m sorry. She disappeared. Her uncle took her along with lady Patricia.”

A small, nearly deranged smile spread across Brünhild’s face. “Thank the goddess…at least—at least she’s not here anymore.” Brünhild then began to cough again, rather violently this time.

“Lady Brünhild!” He lurches forward. “Please, tell me, what can I do?”

Her fingers twitched in the direction of Hubert again, her eyes darting to his belt. “Please forgive me, I would never ask you of this but. Please. I can’t—”

“No, you four are still alive. We can do something—I can get you to safety! I promise I—”

“Please—Hubert. Please, do it before—before they come back. I am begging you.” Brünhild’s arm twitched and Hubert reached out a hand to hold her bandaged palm. She squeezed his hand in reply. She was alive, she was still alive, he could feel the heat of her skin, the pulse beating still strong. But she was no longer able to live a life worth living, as she saw it.

Those that did this to her, Hubert could not hope to fight them, not as he was. But he could foil their plans to have any more use of his beloved Hresvelg siblings.

His free hand fell to the knife at his belt, he wondered what Ortrun would tell him to do. Never again would he be able to ask her for guidance. All he could do was resolve to punish those that had taken her from him.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments? Fanart? Please show me @ my  
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